Four Lincoln Memorials

It can certainly be said more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other American president. This is also true of memorials and properties set aside in his name. These four primary spaces are preserved and managed by the National Park Service.

Birthplace—Kentucky

The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park was the first of many memorials to America’s 16th president. The park consists of two sites: Sinking Springs was the actual birthplace where Lincoln lived until age two; nearby Knob Creek was Lincoln’s home until age seven when the family moved to Indiana. The two sites were combined to become the historical park in 1956 and have been administered by the National Park Service since that time.

Boyhood Home—Indiana

This site memorializes the home where Abraham Lincoln lived from age 7 to 21. The Southern Indiana farmstead is managed and interpreted by the National Park Service. It is operated as a memorial to different stages of his life and contains the gravesite of his mother.

Lincoln Home and Presidential Library—Illinois

After marrying Mary Todd, Abraham Lincoln purchased a home in Springfield, Illinois. This was the only home Lincoln ever owned. While living here he was elected to the House of Representatives and then the presidency. The Lincoln Home National Historic Site was created in 1971. It consists of the presidential library, Lincoln home and much of the historic neighborhood.

National Memorial—Washington, D.C.

Completed in 1922 after 8 years of construction, the Lincoln Memorial rests at the western end of the National Mall. Built in the style of a neoclassical temple, this memorial has been a symbol of civil rights unlike any other. The memorial has been a backdrop for many historical events, not least of which was Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have dream” speech.