Interactive Map

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.    

View over 40 outdoor interpretive exhibits placed throughout the downtown area to experience Springfield as Abraham Lincoln knew it. Each exhibit is intended to capture a moment in time for Lincoln and how he was affected by the people, places and events he encountered in his hometown. Each story is accompanied by graphics or photographs and a medallion that is symbolic of that particular story. Visitors are encouraged to collect rubbings of each medallion.

Governor Joseph Duncan, who served as governor of Illinois from 1834 to 1838, had this two-and one-half-story house constructed between 1833 and 1835.

The home served as the official executive mansion for the state of Illinois from 1834-38. It was used for State business during the term of Governor Joseph Duncan from 1834-1838. The early capitals, Kaskaskia and Vandalia, had no “Governor’s Mansion”. This three-story, 17-room mansion was built in 1834. The mansion is owned and operated by the Rev. James Caldwell Chapter NSDAR. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, and houses many of the original Duncan family furnishings.

Tradition says that Lincoln visited the Duncan home, and it is quite possible that happened, given the fact that Lincoln lived in nearby New Salem and Springfield during the time both men were members of the Whig Party. Lincoln served his first two terms as a state representative while Duncan was governor. In addition, voting records show that Lincoln cast ballots for Duncan three times.

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.    

Restored 1852 train depot, from which President-Elect Abraham Lincoln departed for Washington D.C. on February 11, 1861. Lincoln gave one of his most memorable speeches from the back of a train at this location.

When Lincoln left his hometown as president-elect, he paid an unforgettable tribute to his friends and neighbors known today as the Farewell Address. Lincoln gave these remarks as he boarded a special inaugural train at the Great Western Railroad Depot.  Located just two blocks from the Lincoln Home.

The Depot is also home to a wayside exhibit that helps interpret the important activities that happened at this location. View over 40 outdoor interpretive exhibits placed throughout the downtown area to experience Springfield as Abraham Lincoln knew it. Each exhibit is intended to capture a moment in time for Lincoln and how he was affected by the people, places and events he encountered in his hometown. Each story is accompanied by graphics or photographs and a medallion that is symbolic of that particular story. Visitors are encouraged to collect rubbings of each medallion.

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.    

Many of Lincoln’s personal and political friends are buried in Woodland Cemetery, and Camp Wood, Quincy’s first Civil War army camp, was located nearby.  Learn about these friends, the army camp, Lincoln’s soldiers buried here, and the historical significance of Quincy’s oldest active cemetery, which retains the original topography of the town.

Looking for Exhibits Wayside Exhibits related to Quincy in the Lincoln Era are located at 18 sites. The exhibits provide details about Lincoln, events, local people, and environment that contributed to Lincoln's Quincy story. 

Guide to Lincoln's Quincy:  https://seequincy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/lincoln-in-quincy_web_2016.pdf

Carthage Jail is a historic building built in 1839.  It is best known as the location of the 1844 killing of Joseph Smith and founder of the Latter Day Saint movement and his brother Hyrum, by a mob of approximately 150 men.  The site is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a historic site with an adjacent  visitors' center.

One day, a farm boy sat on the rascal bench outside the Barnett Tavern.  On horseback, Lincoln approached the inn and inquired about accommodations.  A mischievous boy hurried over to kindly greet Lincoln and offered to get the innkeeper, but he warned Lincoln that the man was nearly deaf.  So, as a courtesy, Lincoln would have to speak up when he brought the innkeeper out.  When the boy returned with the proprietor, Lincoln greeted Mr. Barnett loudly.  In turn, Barnett also spoke in a loud voice, for the boy had told Barnett that Lincoln was hard of hearing.  Thus, the conversation continued until Lincoln asked Barnett why he was hollering and informed him that he was not deaf.  The innkeeper replied that he was not hard of hearing either.  It was not until then that the two men realized the boy had fooled them, and they shared a good laugh...

Wilson Allen was suing the Illinois Central Railroad for "cutting a ditch causing water to back up on Allen's (rural) property."  Lincoln was defending the railroad.  Knowing Allen was in town, Lincoln took the opportunity of Allen's absence from home and investigated.  Lincoln walked to Allen's residence and observed water being carried from the ditch and Mrs. Allen doing laundry in the same.  Lincoln then approached and asked for a drink of water, which Mrs. Allen drew from the ditch, apologizing that the well was dry...

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.    

Today, the old Illinois Central tracks through Bloomington-Normal serve as the centerpiece for a thirteen-plus mile hiking and biking network known as the Constitution Trail. On May 3, 1853, the Galena-Cairo branch of the Illinois Central Railroad reached Bloomington. For Lincoln,  the rapidly expanding network of rail lines throughout central Illinois and beyond played a prominent role in his burgeoning legal practice and political career. Lincoln was hardly the backwoods barrister of popular myth. In fact, he was successful and well-paid attorney whose clients included the Illinois Central Railroad, a corporate.behemoth of its day.

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.