Exploring Lincoln's Indiana Heritage Indiana's Lincoln was a boy of 7 when his father and mother, Thomas and Nancy, brought him and his sister, Sarah, to live on the southern Hoosier frontier in 1816. Here in Indiana, Abe Lincoln formed his ideas about character, honesty and a love of learning that would stay with him his entire life. In commemoration of its famous son, Indiana offers several venues for those who wish to take a trip into the past and learn more about one of the most significant and iconic presidents of the United States.  The Faces of Lincoln The most significant and comprehensive Lincoln visual image collection in the country is at the Indiana Historical Society. Original pieces from the Lincoln collections are featured in the permanent changing exhibition of The Faces of Lincoln. This exhibition is devoted to images of Abraham Lincoln, his significance as the 16th President and his status as an American icon. The collection can be seen in the William Henry Smith Memorial Library of the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call (317) 232-1882 or (800) 447-1830. The farm on which Abe Lincoln and his pioneer family lived was the first National Park established in Indiana. On February 19, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed the act authorizing the establishment of the park. The story of the Civil War era President's 14 formative years spent in Indiana comes alive at the Living Historical Farm, in the Visitors Center Museum and along the park's scenic hiking trails. The Memorial Visitor Center features two Memorial Halls, a museum with a variety of exhibits and a 15-minute orientation film called Forging Greatness - Lincoln in Indiana. The Lincoln Boyhood Trail will take you to the gravesite of Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln and the Cabin Site Memorial. The Lincoln Living Historical Farm is a working pioneer homestead with a cabin, outbuildings, split rail fences, animals, gardens and field crops. Rangers, in period clothing, perform a variety of activities typical of the 1820s. Location: Lincoln City, Indiana on Highway 162. For more information, please call (812) 937-4541 The Lincoln State Park is located across from the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. The park of 1,747 acres was originally established as a memorial to Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln. A special feature at the park is the Lincoln Amphitheatre which produces plays on Lincoln's life. Location: Lincoln City, Indiana on Highway 162. For more information about the State Park and its activities, please call (812) 937-4710. To learn more about the Amphitheatre, schedules and activities, please call (800) 264-4223 or (812) 937-4493. The following are just a few of the books about Lincoln that you may find at your local library or book store:
Madison County Historical Society|15 West 11th Street, P. O. Box 696, Anderson, Indiana 46015-0696|(765) 683-0052 |
The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition February 12 - July 25, 2010 |
