Decatur

Decatur and Macon County has a landscape rich in Lincoln history. Many "firsts" in Lincoln’s life happened in and around Decatur. It was the first home of the Lincoln family when they moved to Illinois. Downtown Decatur was the site of Lincoln’s very first political speech, and it was here that he was first nominated for the Presidency at the State Republican Party Convention. Throughout his time as a lawyer in central Illinois, Lincoln tried a number of cases in Decatur. Today, the log courthouse where some of Lincoln's early legal cases were heard still exists in the Prairie Village at the Macon County History Museum.

While you’re "Looking for Lincoln" in Decatur, be sure to visit beautiful Lake Decatur, surrounded by nature trails, parks and a golf course.  Plan a stop at Scovill Zoo and a trip to the Children’s Museum.

For more information:

Decatur Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
202 E. North Street
Decatur, IL 62523
217-423-7000
http://www.decaturcvb.com/

Location

Legend

Nearby Sites

A "Favorite" Lies Here
2418 Boiling Springs Rd. Decatur, Illinois 62526

Friends of Lincoln Wayside Exhibit

John Hanks was a favorite relation of Lincoln’s through his mother Nancy Hanks’s family.  John moved to Macon County in 1828 and it was his letters to Thomas Lincoln, Abraham’s father, that motivated Thomas to move his family to Illinois in 1830.  Abraham remained close to John and was involved in his political rise.  John died in 1889 at the age of 87 and is buried at Boiling Springs Cemetery.

Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibits tell the stories of Lincoln’s life and times in Illinois.  Each wayside exhibit tells a unique Lincoln story and a local story.  Many of the waysides share little known stories about Lincoln and the individuals he interacted with.  There are over 260 Looking for Lincoln waysides in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.    

Explore this site.

Choosing a President
231 East South Park St. Decatur, Illinois 62523

Wayside Exhibit

Location of the Wigwam, a temporary structure, set up for the 1860 Illinois State Republican Convention.  It was here that Illinois Republican delegates chose Lincoln as their candidate for the Republican presidential nominee.  Less than a week later, at the National Republican Convention, Lincoln was nominated as the 1860 Republican presidential candidate.

Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibits tell the stories of Lincoln’s life and times in Illinois.  Each wayside exhibit tells a unique Lincoln story and a local story.  Many of the waysides share little known stories about Lincoln and the individuals he interacted with.  There are over 260 Looking for Lincoln waysides in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.    

Explore this site.

Coming to Illinois
110 South Main Street Decatur, Illinois 62523

Wayside Exhibit

Years after the Lincoln family’s move to Illinois in 1830, Abraham pointed to this site in the old Decatur town square as the place where his family camped their first night in Macon County.

Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibits tell the stories of Lincoln’s life and times in Illinois.  Each wayside exhibit tells a unique Lincoln story and a local story.  Many of the waysides share little known stories about Lincoln and the individuals he interacted with.  There are over 260 Looking for Lincoln waysides in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.    

Explore this site.

Finding the Biggest Man
126 N. Water Street Decatur, Illinois 62523

Wayside Exhibit

At the Illinois Republican Convention in 1860, a local photographer, E. A. Barnwell, decided to seek out the “biggest” man among the convention participants.  He found that the biggest man in both stature and importance was Abraham Lincoln.  Lincoln posed for a portrait at Barnwell’s studio.

Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibits tell the stories of Lincoln’s life and times in Illinois.  Each wayside exhibit tells a unique Lincoln story and a local story.  Many of the waysides share little known stories about Lincoln and the individuals he interacted with.  There are over 260 Looking for Lincoln waysides in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.    

Explore this site.

Getting There From Here
820 West Main Street Decatur, Illinois 62522

8th Judicial Circuit Wayside Exhibit

The road beside this wayside is West Main Street, one of the main routes upon which Lincoln traveled during his trips on the Eighth Judicial Circuit.  The wayside also recounts the story of how Lincoln took pity and saved a pig from a muddy pit during one of his journeys.

Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibits tell the stories of Lincoln’s life and times in Illinois.  Each wayside exhibit tells a unique Lincoln story and a local story.  Many of the waysides share little known stories about Lincoln and the individuals he interacted with.  There are over 260 Looking for Lincoln waysides in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.    

Explore this site.

Pages: [ << < 1 2 3 4 5 > >> ]