Taking a stroll down Vermilion Street in Danville, circa 1850, you may very well have run into a tall, gangly, somewhat unkempt young attorney, rushing from his office to the nearby courthouse. That young man, probably wearing a tall stovepipe hat, would have been none other than Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln practiced law here for about 18 years as he traveled the now famous 8th Judicial Circuit in Illinois. Explore the Vermilion County Museum, replicating that early courthouse, as well as the adjacent Fithian Home, a Lincoln site on the National Register of Historic Places. Here you’ll find many stories surrounding the people and places in the life of Lincoln the lawyer.
For more information:
Danville Area Visitors Bureau
100 W. Main Street
Danville, IL 61832
217-442-2096
http://danvilleareainfo.com/
Location
Legend
8th Judicial Circuit
Courthouse
Friends of Lincoln
Good for Kids
Guided/Self-Guided Tours
Historic House
Historic Site
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Museum
Passport Site
Recreational
Route 66
Top Destination
Underground Railroad
Visitor Information
Wayside Exhibit
Nearby Sites
Danville Area Visitors Bureau
100 W. Main Street, Suite 146 Danville, Illinois 61832
Begin your visit to Danville at the Danville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Hours: Monday-Friday 9 AM-4PM. Closed 12-1 PM for lunch
Vermilion County Museum
116 N. Gilbert St. Danville, Illinois 61832
Opened in the spring of 2002, the museum center is a near replica of the 1833 county courthouse where Abraham Lincoln practiced law from 1841-1859. The museum center includes a Lincoln/Lamon law office recreation, among other Lin- coln memorabilia. The museum is housed on two floors (ADA accessible) and sits directly behind the Fithian Home.
Vermilion County War Museum
307 N. Vermilion Street Danville, Illinois 61832
Covering the Revolutionary War, Civil War and other wars through current times, this 14,000 sq. ft. museum displays artifacts and memorabilia from all conflicts. It features special displays for D-Day, Medal of Honor, Prisoners of War, Trench Art, Merchant Marines, communication systems, rare uniforms, and the LST-325. A Blue-Star museum, it was voted the finest of its type in the country.
Fithian Home
116 N. Gilbert St. Danville, Illinois 61832
Housed in a home owned by Dr. William Fithian, Civil War surgeon and personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, the Fithian Home features the south balcony from which Lincoln gave a speech in 1858 and the bedroom he used on his many visits. Each remain as they were during Lincoln’s time there. The Joseph G. Cannon (Uncle Joe) room contains personal items of Cannon’s who served in the U.S. House for 46 years and was Speaker from 1903 to 1911.
Listed on National Register of Historic Places.
Lamon House
Historic Lincoln Park 1031 N. Logan Ave. Danville, Illinois 61832
An 1840s Greek Revival cottage built by Joseph and Melissa Beckwith Lamon. The house is named in honor of Ward Hill Lamon, Lincoln’s law partner and body- guard, and cousin of Joseph Lamon. It is situated in historic Lincoln Park.