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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.    

At the site of this historic event learn about the importance of the sixth debate on October 13, 1858, and about the two candidates running for the U.S. Senate. Also, find out about how Lincoln and Douglas campaigned before thousands of enthusiastic supporters, and learn about the appearance of the Square at the time of the debate.

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

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.

There are two stories pertaining to how Abraham Lincoln and proprietor and editor John G. Nicolay met. Thomas Hall Shastid grandson of John Greene Shastid tells the story that while Lincoln was in Pittsfield he ran into John Greene Shastid telling him that he needed a good printer. John took him to the office of the Free Press and introduced him to Nicolay.

In 1894 Nicolay granted an interview that went viral in the national newspapers. He was asked about the first time he met Lincoln. Nicolay said that he had been actively serving on a political committee in Pittsfield in the year 1856. That year John C. Fremont was running for president on the Republican ticket and Abraham Lincoln and Lyman Trumbull were canvassing the state of Illinois for votes. It was a large district and they had agreed to not stump together.

Nicolay went on to say that the committee did not know who was coming to Pittsfield so they advertised that both Lincoln and Trumbull would be there. It wasn’t a total lie, one of the men would show at the scheduled date and time. When the time came both Lincoln and Trumbull showed up in Pittsfield. The crowds were huge as the two men gave speeches well into the night. Nicolay stated that he was introduced to Lincoln late that evening.

The Prairie Village at the Macon County History Museum has the only log courthouse in which Lincoln practiced law.  Records indicate he participated in 5 cases in the original log courthouse of Macon County during his early career as a lawyer.

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.    

Located on a bluff near the site of the Ohio Tavern, where Lincoln stayed when passing through, this two sided wayside offers details of Lincoln’s relationship with B.F. Harris and Mahomet (once Middletown’s) early residents

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.

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.

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.

LFL Wayside in Macomb