Interactive Map

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.     

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.

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.

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.    

James Jaquess, the first president of the Illinois Conference Female Academy, now MacMurray College, once lived in this house. Jaquess, a Methodist minister, first met Lincoln when he was preaching and Lincoln was practicing law in central Illinois. During the Civil War Lincoln entrusted Jaquess with important missions. In 1863 Jaquess met with Confederate officials to discuss ending the war. The following year, Jaquess met with Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who declared that the South would accept peace only if it could remain independent.

Fell's home was often the gathering place for Lincoln's friends and political allies as they planned election strategies.

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.    

Built circa 1838

John Greene Shastid first encounter Abraham Lincoln while living in New Salem, Illinois. In 1836 he moved his family to Pittsfield, Illinois. When Lincoln was in town on legal business it is said that he always called on the Shastids.

In his book My Second Life Thomas Hall Shastid recalls a story about his grandfather (John) coming home with a dozen pigeons after a hunting trip. As the family waited for the pigeons to finish boiling the door to the home was suddenly pushed opened. There stood Abraham Lincoln who took the seat of honor at the table. Mrs. Shastid placed the plate of boiled pigeon in from of Lincoln. Lincoln was very talkative at first but later fell silent as he dove into the plate of pigeons. John Shastid motion to the rest of the family to not ask for any of the wild meat. With one pigeon left Lincoln reached out his fork and placed it on his plate and began to eat it.

As Lincoln ate the last pigeon young Tommy Shastid burst into tears, crying out, “Abe Lincoln you’re an old hog”.

In 1851, when the Illinois Central Railroad began surveying land in Union County, the county seat of Jonesboro was thought to be the logical choice for the location of the tracks.  However, the city fathers declined to pay the required $50 surveying fee.  Jonesboro businessman, Winstead Davie was not one to ignore an opportunity and personally paid the cost of the survey across his land east of Jonesboro.  He donated thirty-seven acres in 1852 and named the new town site Anna, after his wife.  There was one disappointment, however.  The sign on the depot read JONESBORO STATION for almost twenty years.  Finally. in 1873, the sign was replaced by one reading ANNA. 

When Abraham Lincoln came to Union County in 1858 for the third debate with Stephen Douglas, he traveled by railroad from Centralia with his friend, D.L. Phillips of Anna.  The two men walked to the Phillips home on South Main Street where Lincoln stayed for two nights.  After the evening meal, they went to the Union House Hotel in Jonesboro to visit with the reporter and stenographer of the Chicago Press and Tribune.  It was there Lincoln recorded in his log that they observed Donati’s Comet.