ABRAHAM LINCOLN
ATTRACTIONS
- Logan County, Illinois
- Lincoln, Illinois
- Mt. Pulaski, Illinois
- Elkhart, Illinois
- Atlanta, Illinois
- Looking for Lincoln - Lincoln, IL
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Located on I-55 between Bloomington and
Lincoln in Logan County. Population 1,616. Founded in 1853
and name for Atlanta, GA after having two prior names.
The city has many historic landmarks such
as The Carriage Shed, where Abraham Lincoln stayed with the Hoblit family;
Atlanta-Eminence Community Memorial Building; Turner's Grove, where Abraham
Lincoln attended a July 4, 1859 celebration held in the Grove; New Castle
Marker, original site of Atlanta; county line post marker, one of several
county markers that designates Abraham Lincoln's circuit trail; Gold Springs,
an 1800's resort area, and the restored J.H. Hawes wooden Country elevator.
- Eminence Christian Church - Eminence Christian Church, 4 miles west of Atlanta, was formed on June 24, 1838. It was originally known as Sugar Creek Church. The present building was built in 1901, and stands on the same site the congregation has known since 1856. It is believed to be one of the oldest congregations in the county. Their membership hosts many fifty year members. Several are 8th generation descendants of the charger members. Regular services are held each week.
- Atlanta Public Library – The Atlanta Public Library was built in 1908. The octagon shaped building is one of the few in Illinois and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It features the classic details of the 1840’s, the high ceilings, domed rotunda, high narrow windows, original solid oak woodwork and an old fashioned fireplace.
- J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum – The J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator was in operation from 1903 until 1976. The abandoned structure was purchased by the city of Atlanta in 1988 and efforts began to restore the elevator and create the museum. The building was dedicated and opened to the public July 17, 1999. This is the only fully restored, wooden grain elevator in Illinois listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is open for tours Sundays from 1 to 3 PM in June, July, and August. Call 217-648-2056 or 217-648-5077 for more information.
A museum was established in the basement in 1973. It houses museum pieces of local history, the old high school pictures, plaques, and trophies. There are old tools of early settlers, artifacts of days long past. Also at this site is the clock tower, museum annex and historical marker. The museum stands on the corner of Race and Arch Streets.
A mile north of Chestnut on a winding road following Salt Creek for a distance is the site where Samuel Baker located his grist mill, saw mill, and a brick-tile factory. The Baker family built their homes from their own brick factory and worked and resided there. Samuel came to Illinois in 1833 when he was 14 years old. The exact date he located in Bakerville is not certain; it is presumed after the Civil War. Prior to that the Bakers were residents of the Yankeetown Settlement (2 miles SW). The chimney and some of the clay pits remain, as well as a historic marker.
BEASON, IL
Located off Route 10 between Lincoln and Clinton. The population is 255. Founded in 1872, the town of Beason was laid out by Silas Beason and others. It was then named for him. He was a lawyer and instrumental in getting the Central Railroad to that area.
BETHEL, IL
Bethel is located approximately 3 miles from Rt. 136 between Emden and Atlanta on County Road 20.
- Bethel Church – The Bethel Society was originally a branch of the “old Sugar Creek Congregation” located to the East. Built in 1854. “Big Prairie” post office was located ¼ mile East of the present church. Bethel grade school stood across the road from the church. Burials are still made in the cemetery adjoining the church.
Located on I-55 between Lincoln and Elkhart on Old Rt. 66. Several Rt. 66 era landmarks still remain. Population is 146. Broadwell was incorporated in 1869 and recognized under general law in 1887. Home of the Pig Hip Museum.
BURTONVIEW, IL
Located on State Route 10 between Lincoln and New Holland, IL in Logan County.
CHESTNUT, IL
Located on Route 54 between Mt. Pulaski and Clinton. Chestnut was laid out in 1872 by David Clark. It was named in honor of railroad official Logan B. Chestnut. Population is 350. The Illinois Central Railroad played an important part in the development of the Chestnut community.
- Geographical Center – A letter from the Illinois State Geological Survey, signed by the Chief of National Resources and the Chief of Environmental Geology and Geo Chemistry notified the city of Chestnut they are the center of the state. A monument stands in the village park and common in honor of this distinction.
Cornland is on Route 54 southwest of Lake Fork. The population is 150. It was laid out in 1871.
ELKHART, IL
Rising over 200 feet above the surrounding
prairie, Elkhart hill has been a landmark for centuries. During the
1700s, a trail that connected the French villages of St. Louis and Peoria
passed directly over the hill, and is still visible in places. The
first American settlers of the region followed the same trail, which became
known as “Edwards’ Trace” during the War of 1812. The first
American settler of Elkhart (and Logan County) was Judge James Latham,
a farmer and Indian agent, who arrived in 1819. The town of Elkhart
was founded in 1955.
In 1868, Elkhart hill was the home of
John Dean Gillett, considered one of the “Cattle Kings” of 19th century
Illinois, and a friend of Abraham Lincoln. By 1873, Gillett owned
11,000 acres of land surrounding Elkhart hill, and his son-in-law Richard
Oglesby was elected governor of Illinois in 1864, 1872, and 1884.
The Under the Prairie Frontier Archaeological
Museum is located in downtown Elkhart, and displays hundreds of authentic
artifacts from the frontier period of Illinois. Included in the exhibits
are artifacts excavated at the hilltop site of James Latham’s 1819 cabin.
Call 217-947-2522 for more details. In the Elkhart Cemetery (located
on the forested peak of Elkhart hill), stands the St. John the Baptist
Chapel, built in 1890. This gothic revival chapel, constructed of
Illinois limestone, is the only privately owned and operated church in
the state.
EMDEN, IL
On County Road 20 south of Rt. 136 and west of Rt. 121. The population is 459. William Scully originally owned the area now named Emden. After years of buying and selling, the town was surveyed on June 16, 1871. The village received its name from Emden on the River Ems in northern Germany. Teis Smid, a blacksmith, and William Scully are given credit for the establishment of Emden, IL.
HARTSBURG, IL
Located at Junction of Rt. 121 and County Road 18 between Lincoln and Emden. David Harts founded the village in 1871. Surveyed by Thomas Gardner of Pekin on June 22, 1871. The village was organized under a general law on December 20, 1886. The population is 306.
KICKAPOO TOWN, IL
The Kickapoos moved into central Illinois from the Great Lakes are in 1763. Their main village was at Salt Creek. While on a hunting expedition in Kentucky, they captured Ann Gilham and three of her children in 1790. Her husband, James, eventually ransomed them. Ann obtained a grant of 160 acres from Congress in 1815 as an honorable testimonial of her suffering and hardship. A marker is standing at the entrance to Memorial Park on the southeast side of Lincoln, IL.
LAKE FORK, IL
On Rt. 54 between Springfield and Mt. Pulaski. Population is 100. Founded in 1881. Indian Mounds have been identified in this area, and are registered with the state of Illinois.
LATHAM, IL
On Rt. 121 between Mt. Pulaski and Decatur. Population is 482. Surveyed in 1871. Incorporated in 1884. Latham is situated in the southeast corner of the township and served as a station on the Peoria, Decatur, and Evansville railroad. It was named in honor of Colonel Latham of Lincoln, who was prominently connected with the building of that railroad.
LAWNDALE, IL
Located on I-55. Only entries are on the Lincoln cloverleaf from the south and the Atlanta cloverleaf from the north. It was laid out in 1854. The population is 165. The village is unincorporated.
LINCOLN, IL
Located on I-55 between Bloomington and Springfield. Population is 15,418. Plotted in 1853. In addition to being the county seat of Logan County, Lincoln is also home to two college campuses, the Logan County Airport, two prisons, and each summer is host to the Logan County Fair. Numerous antique malls and specialty shops are also located throughout Lincoln. Downtown Lincoln is on the National Historic Register.
- Carnegie Library – The Lincoln Public Library was founded in 1902 as a result of the generosity of Andrew Carnegie and local citizens Stephen Foley and Isabel Nash. The neo-classical structure was designed by Chicago architect W.A. Otis and built at a cost of $30,000. The outstanding architectural features include a Tiffany-style glass dome and all original shelving, tables, and chairs. The Library has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.
- The Christening Scene – Broadway and Chicago Street area. On August 27, 1853, the first lots were sold in the new town of Lincoln. The town was located on the Chicago and Alton Railroad line midway between Bloomington and Springfield. After the lots had been sold, the crowd urged Springfield attorney Abraham Lincoln to christen the new town which had been named in his honor. Lincoln took a watermelon, broke it open and with its juice christened the new community. Lincoln thus became the first community in the United States to be named for Abraham Lincoln before he became famous.
- Heritage In Flight Museum – Located at the Logan County Airport, on the northeast corner of Lincoln. The building was brought in from Camp Ellis, an Army training facility. The camp housed German prisoners of World War II. Camp Ellis was located along the Illinois River in Fulton County. The museum is filled with memorabilia from all the military conflicts dating back to WWI.
- Lincoln College – Lincoln College was founded and named for President Lincoln on February 12, 1865. The cornerstone for University Hall was laid on this day. The building is now a National Historic landmark. On the campus is the Merrill Gage Statue of Lincoln, the Student.
- Lincoln College Museum – Lincoln College maintains two museums in the McKinstry Library. The Lincoln Museum houses the Abraham Lincoln Collection, valued at over two million dollars. It houses many rare Lincoln artifacts, including over 2,000 Lincoln volumes, manuscripts, art, and related items of historical interest. The Museum of Presidents is designed to honor the Chief Executives from Washington to the present day.
- Logan County Courthouse – The current courthouse is actually the third courthouse built on this site since 18534. It houses county offices and records, a statue of Abraham Lincoln, murals plus historical display cases. A civil war monument honoring all the young men who served during that war stands just outside the courthouse. This building was erected in 1905 and is located “on the square” in downtown Lincoln, which is on the National Historic Register.
- Postville Courthouse – Postville Courthouse was built in 1841 and was Logan County’s first courthouse. Deskins Tavern, across the street to the south was the headquarters for lawyers, jurors, witnesses, and litigants in the early days. The original structure was purchased by Henry Ford and moved to Dearborn, Michigan. Postville Courthouse is now a state shrine. The site is open five days a week, Noon to 5 PM in Summer, Noon to 4 PM in Winter.
- Stephen A. Douglas Site – (Corner of Logan and 4th Streets.) On this site during the senatorial campaign of 1858, Stephen A. Douglas spoke to a democratic political rally in a circus tent. Lincoln, his opponent, was also on the train. He exited the rear car, following at a distance, the retinue accompanying his opponent and listened to his speech later from the rear of the tent.
- Lincoln Room - (114 N. Chicago Street) Visit this collection of Abraham Lincoln photographs, books, plates, and other memorabilia at the Logan County Genealogical and Historical Society's Lincoln Room.
Located on County Road 15, 6 miles south of New Holland, IL. Population is 432.
- Knapp-Chestnut Building – The Knapp/Chestnut Building, the oldest brick building in the county, is located at 101 S. Clinton, Middletown. It was constructed by Dr. Moses Lohman Knapp and Colby Knapp. It currently serves the town as a museum known as the home of the Knapp/Chestnut/Becker Historical Society. It also houses a research center to use when searching for family histories, as well as a library and museum. It is a Logan County historic landmark.
- Stagecoach Inn – One hundred fifty years ago, the wooden-structured Stage Coach Inn stood on Middletown’s public square. The Inn was on the stage coach Rouge 541 between Springfield and Peoria. In 1874, Thomas Davy Sr. purchased I, moved it to his farm, and used it for a home. On January 6, 1986, the Middletown Bicentennial Commission moved it back to a site two blocks from the original site. The Commission is restoring the Inn to its original condition.
Mt. Pulaski, located on Route 121 between Lincoln and Decatur, was founded in 1836 and named for Count Casimir Pulaski, a Polish Revolutionary War patriot. Population is 1,610.
- Mt. Pulaski Courthouse – Mt. Pulaski Courthouse, a two story building standing today in downtown Mt. Pulaski, served as Logan County Courthouse from 1847 to 1853. One of the two remaining courthouses on Abraham Lincoln’s Eight Judicial Circuit, it was purchased by the state and restored. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Call 217-792-3919 for information regarding the courthouse hours.
- Mt. Pulaski Township Historical Museum – Mt. Pulaski Township Historical Museum, 102 & 104 E. Cooke St., is housed in two historic buildings on the south side of the town’s square. One building was a very active saloon, on of thirteen in town, during prohibition when the town earned the “Vinegar Hill” nickname and card players earned the name of “Southside Club.” Adjoining was a bank where teller windows, marble walls and the old safe are still in place. Memorabilia and artifacts of the area are on display. Hours: 12-4 PM, Tuesday thru Saturday. Call 217-792-3719 for more information.
Located on State Route 10 between Lincoln and Mason City. The Population is 300.
- Books and Crooks – New Holland Mini Library is a community project. Dedicated September 25, 1983. The 100 year old jail (with two iron barred cells still in working order) was converted into a library with donations from the community. They proudly display reference books, fiction, biography, autobiography, children’s, and more.
Located on Rt. 136 in the far northwestern corner of Logan County. Only a part of San Jose is within the county boundaries. Its population is 519 and was surveyed and plotted in 1857. Incorporated in 1876. Buildings in the Logan County part of the village were erected in 1868.
