As the sixteenth U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln believed that everyone in America should have the opportunity to improve their economic and social condition. Lincoln’s life embodied that idea. Emblazoned on the U.S. penny, he weathered the U.S. Civil War before being assassinated while in office in 1965. To many, Lincoln embodies the same hopes, dreams, and challenges people face today. To learn more about Abraham Lincoln, visit the top Lincoln sites in the Midwest dedicated to him.
A Brief History of Lincoln
Born on February 12, 1809, in a log cabin in Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln educated himself with the help of his stepmother, who came to the cabin with books. In his early life, the family lived in Kentucky.
After moving to Indiana, his mother died in 1818 after an illness. His father remarried the next year, and his stepmother had three children of her own. Lincoln would later call her mama.
In his early years, he and some friends ferried goods on the Mississippi River, using a flatboat. During this time, he traveled to New Orleans.
He moved to Illinois to pursue a better life, settling first in New Salem. During this time, he worked for a general store.
In 1832, he ran for Illinois House of Representatives and lost. He joined the Illinois Militia and served as a captain.
After returning to New Salem, he bought the general store where he had worked. In 1834, he ran for the state house and won, launching his political career. He served four terms until 1842.
In 1836, he passed the Illinois Bar and opened a law office in Springfield. He married Mary Todd in 1842.
In 1846, he ran and won for the U.S. House of Representatives and served until 1849. During the 1850s, he debated other politicians against slavery.
In 1860, he was elected as the 16th U.S. President. During his presidency, he signed the Emancipation Proclamation and delivered the Gettysburg Address.
He was assassinated on April 14, 1865, while in office at Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC. He died the following morning.
13 Top Lincoln Sites
Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield
Lincoln’s Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield
Old State Capitol in Springfield
The Rail Splitter at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield
Lincoln Depot in Springfield
Lincoln Penny statue in Lincoln
Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site in Petersburg
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Indiana
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park in Kentucky
Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC
Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC
Mount Rushmore National Monument in South Dakota
Lincoln in Springfield Illinois
As Lincoln’s home during is professional life, many of the top Lincoln sites are located in Springfield, Illinois. It is the capital of Illinois and also his final resting spot.
Lincoln Home National Historic Site
The Lincoln Home National Historic Site is a 4-block pedestrian-only neighborhood with Lincoln’s home before moving to the White House. Abraham Lincoln and his family lived there from 1844 to 1861, and it is the only home Lincoln ever owned.
During my visit, I started at the Visitor Center and watched the park film: Journey to Greatness. This is also where I got tour tickets for the guided Lincoln Home tour.
Tour the Lincoln Home
Led by a park ranger, this guided tour takes visitors inside the Lincoln Home. Built in 1839, it was purchased by the Lincoln family and expanded to fit their needs over the years.
Filled with some original Lincoln furniture, the house includes reproduction wallpaper and rugs from Lincoln’s time. It also includes decorative objects from the era.
During my tour, I explored the parlour, dining room and kitchen on the first floor. Then we went upstairs to see Lincoln’s bedroom, Mary Todd Lincoln’s adjoining bedroom and the room for their boys.
The tour lasts about 30 minutes and is free with a ticket.
Tour the Neighborhood
After touring Lincoln’s Home, I toured the neighborhood. It includes several restored homes and additional artifacts, like carriages.
- Dean House exhibit: What a Pleasant Home Abe Lincoln Has
- Arnold House exhibit: If These Walls Could Talk
- Jameson Jenkins lot: National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site
Located at 426 S. 7th Street, Springfield, IL. The visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free to enter.
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Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum includes a 1861 White House reconstruction and a replica Lincoln Cabin. It also houses 40,000 items, including an original handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address.
During my visit, I walked through the boyhood cabin and learned about his early years in Kentucky and Indiana. I also walked through a replica of his law office.
The White House exhibits walked me through his campaign and his years in office. This includes navigating the Civil War. He was assassinated on April 14, 1865, while in office.
A separate facility used for research, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, houses over 1,600 documents in Lincoln’s handwriting.
Located at 212 N. 6th St., Springfield, IL. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $15, students are $12 and kids (5 to 15) are $6.
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Lincoln’s Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery
Dedicated in 1874, the 117-foot-tall granite obelisk marks the site where Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary and three of their four sons: Edward, William, and Thomas, are interred. The eldest son, Robert T. Lincoln, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Also on the site is the public receiving vault, constructed in 1860, where Abraham Lincoln’s funeral services were held on May 4, 1865. In 1960, the Tomb was designated a National Historic Landmark and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
Visitors rub his nose on the bronze Lincoln bust outside the entrance for good luck.
Located at 1500 Monument Ave., Springfield, IL. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March to May and September to October. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. April through August. From November to February, it is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry is free, and parking is free next to the tomb; follow the signs through the cemetery.
Old State Capitol
In total, Illinois has had six different capitol buildings, including several in other towns besides Springfield. The Old State Capitol was the fifth and used between 1840 and 1876. Lincoln delivered his famous House Divided speech there in 1858.
In the 1960s, the building was rebuilt using the exterior stone and recreating the original interior. Visitors can tour the exhibits and learn where Lincoln served as a legislator. This is also where he lay in state after his assassination in 1865
Located at 526 E Adams St, Springfield. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free to enter.
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The Rail Splitter at the Illinois State Fairgrounds
Standing 30 feet tall, a young, beardless Abe Lincoln holds a giant axe, greeting visitors in front of the Illinois Expo Building near Gate 1. Known as the Rail Splitter, he cut a few split rails for fencing during his younger years.
While at the fairgrounds, check out the Route 66 Experience at Gate 2. This area displays neon signs, murals and art installations where I found a few Lincolns.
Located at 801 Sangamon Avenue, on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free to enter.
Lincoln Depot
This depot opened in 1852 as the Great Western Depot when the train arrived in Springfield. This is the depot where Lincoln departed for Washington DC to become president.
Located at 930 E. Monroe St., Springfield. Open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is free to enter.
Lincoln. Illinois
In 1853, Abraham christened the town of Lincoln with watermelon juice before he became president. Along Route 66, I stopped in Lincoln to see its Lincoln sites.
The new 12-foot-tall Lincoln Penny statue is located at the Lincoln Route 66 Museum at 508 Broadway St.
The World’s Largest Covered Wagon, Railsplitter, with Lincoln at the reins, is located at 120 N Kickapoo St.
The Lincoln Sign and Mural is also located in this area.
The Lincoln Heritage Museum is located at 1115 Nicholson Rd.
Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site in Petersburg
Before moving to Springfield to further his career, Lincoln moved to New Salem. He lived here from 1831 to 1837, shortly after it was laid out in 1829. New Salem existed for about 12 years before being abandoned.
Built in the 1930s and 1940s, the Civilian Conservation Corps recreated the log village of New Salem. In total, the group of young men crafted 23 historically furnished buildings, including homes, stores, trades shops, a tavern and a school. A saw, a gristmill and a wool carding mill are included with log barns and other outbuildings.
The Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site includes a visitor center with exhibits and an indoor and outdoor auditorium. Visitors will find hiking trails and camping in the 700-acre site.
From May through October, historical interpreters share period skills and activities of 19th-century life.
Located at 15588 History Ln, Petersburg, IL. From May until October, the visitor center and village is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (4 p.m. for the rest of the year). This site is free to enter, camping is additional.
Bloomington, Illinois
Illinois loves Lincoln, and I found his likeness all along my travels. In Bloomington, I stopped by the McLean County Museum of History and found a park bench with a bronze Lincoln.
I stopped for a selfie, and I recommend you head inside for your gift from all around Illinois. Located at 200 N Main St, Bloomington.
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Indiana
Lincoln was born in a one-room cabin in Kentucky, but his family moved to Indiana. This is where Lincoln grew up from age 7 to 21, from 1816 to 1830.
During my visit, I found his mother’s (Nancy Hanks Lincoln) grave. It is also a working pioneer farmstead and the grounds cover 200 acres.
I recommend starting your visit at the visitor center. It offers park brochures, a map, and trail guides. The Memorial Visitor Center also features two memorial halls and the park museum.
Visitors can also watch the 15-minute park film, covering Abraham Lincoln’s youth. The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial offers artifacts and twelve exhibits that explore Abraham Lincoln’s life.
During my visit, I hiked to the Lincoln Living Historical Farm, a working pioneer homestead. There I found a log cabin, outbuildings, split-rail fences, gardens and field crops.
Rangers dressed in period clothing perform a variety of activities typical of daily life in the 1820s. Another site to visit is the Pioneer Cemetery, where Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, is buried.
Hiking in Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
The best way to see a park site is to hike through it. During my visit, I hiked to several past several spots.
The Boyhood Trail—A .5 mile trail that connects the cabin with the cemetery.
The Trail of Twelve Stones—A .5-mile trail with twelve historic stones, each identifying a major event in Abraham Lincoln’s lif, beginning just east of the Cabin Site Memorial
Located at 3027 E S St, Lincoln City, IN. The Visitor Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a one-hour closure from noon to 1 pm. Park grounds are open from sunrise to sunset and free to enter.
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park in Kentucky
Lincoln was born in Kentucky, and the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
was the first national memorial built to honor him. It preserves the Sinking Spring Farm where Lincoln was born and his boyhood home at Knob Creek.
Lincoln’s family lived in log cabins while in Kentucky, as was common on the frontier, as it was known at the time. The Lincoln family left Kentucky in December 1816 for Indiana.
Places to Visit at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace has two separate areas to visit: The Birthplace Unit and the Boyhood Unit. Both are in Kentucky, east of Mammoth Cave National Park.
The Birthplace Unit features the Memorial Building with a recreated cabin, a visitor center, hiking, ranger programs and picnic areas. Named Sinking Spring Farm, it is close to Nolan Creek and its namesake spring.
Located at 2995 Lincoln Farm Road, Hodgenville, KY. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Boyhood Home at Knob Creek Unit includes a one-room cabin, reconstructed in the place of the original. Its visitor center utilizes the Knob Creek Tavern, built in 1933 as a roadside attraction, Lincoln Tavern.
Located at 7120 Bardstown Rd. Hodgenville, KY. Grounds are open daily from dawn to
dusk. The Visitor Center is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from late May to early September.
Both units are free to enter.
The Memorial Building at the Birthplace Unit
Constructed between 1909 and 1911, President Theodore Roosevelt spoke when the cornerstone was placed. The Memorial was completed in 1911, and President William Howard Taft spoke at its dedication.
The neoclassical granite-and-marble memorial building houses an early replica of the first cabin Lincoln lived. The Symbolic Birth Cabin of Abraham Lincoln, a reconstruction of the one-room cabin, using logs dated to the 1840s.
Born in 1809, Abraham did not remember Sinking Spring Farm, where his father farmed as his mother tended to him and his sister. The Lincolns moved on in 1811, about 10 miles away, to his boyhood home in Kentucky.
The Memorial Building is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Boyhood Home at Knob Creek Unit
Located about 10 miles northeast of the Birthplace Unit, this area is located close to Knob Creek Grounds. The Lincoln Family moved here when Abraham was about 2-year-old, and this is the first cabin he remembers.
Abraham grew older and attended school at Caleb Hazel’s ABC school and helped on the farm. However, the Lincoln Family moved to Indiana in 1816, after land boundary issues in Kentucky.
Hiking at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
Both units offer hiking trails.
Big Sink Trail—A 1.36-mile (2.19 km) loop with three separate loops, one accessible. It originates at the Birthplace Unit picnic area.
Boundary Oak Trail—A .3 miles (.48 km) loop at the Memorial Building.
Overlook Trail at Knob Creek—A 3-mile (4.8 km) in-and-out trail, labeled strenuous
Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC
Built in 1922 on the western end of the National Mall, this iconic neoclassical temple features a massive seated statue of Lincoln and inscriptions of his Gettysburg Address. Inside, visitors can learn more about Lincoln’s famous speeches, including his inaugural speech after the Civil War.
The Lincoln Memorial undercroft is a new space that includes a 15,000‑square‑foot exhibit area with the massive concrete foundations that support the memorial. Timed-entry tickets are required to enter, but they are free, after a $1 service charge.
Located at 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle, NW. It is open 24 hours a day and lit at night.
Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC
On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln in Ford’s Theater. He died the next day at the Petersen House boarding house across the street.
Located at 511 10th St NW, Washington, DC. Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., outside of its performance and rehearsal schedule. It is free to enter; however, advance reservations are requested.
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Mount Rushmore National Monument in South Dakota’s Black Hills
Visitors will find four presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, looking westward as they carved into the rock face of Mount Rushmore. The monumental project started in 1927 and involved carving the hardest and finest-grained granite in the Black Hills.
Located in Keystone, SD. Open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the summer, with earlier seasonal hours for the rest of the year. It is $1o to park for most vehicles and free to enter.
