Abraham Lincoln

This year, 2009, is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States.  Having grown up in Illinois, “The Land of Lincoln,” I heard a lot about Abraham Lincoln.  While yet in grade school we took a field trip to the Lincoln Log Cabin State Park near Charleston, Illinois.  This restored cabin and buildings was where Abe’s father and step mother lived after moving to Illinois.  Later I got to visit Lincoln’s tomb in Springfield and the restored village of New Salem, now a state park, where young Abe ran a store.

I hadn’t thought a lot about Abe Lincoln’s life before coming to Illinois.  But, here in Kentucky we have a number of “Lincoln sites.”  About 50 miles from where we live is his birthplace and the area he spent his earliest years.

The “Sinking Springs Farm” where Abe was born is now a National Historic Site.  A small log cabin, probably not the one he was born in but one similar, is housed in a memorial building on the site.  The original spring is still there and a small museum has been established on the grounds.

To the right is a picture of the memorial building.  The small cabin is inside.  To the left out of the picture is the location of the spring.  The Lincoln family had to move from this location while Abe was very young.  They moved about 10 miles away.

There isn’t much to be seen at the Knob Creek Farm location.  A small log cabin sits at the site but not the one the Lincoln family lived in.  It is from the same general era and came from nearby.  In  the town of Hodgenville, Kentucky,which is between the birthplace and the Knob Creek Farm, a Lincoln museum has been established and it houses many interesting exhibits. 


There are additional Lincoln sites within the state.  But, these are definitely well worth visiting if you are ever in the area.