Find your Lincoln story! Learn about the people and places with connections to Abraham Lincoln with the Looking for Lincoln Story Trail. This series of wayside exhibit signs reveal interesting facts about Lincoln, individuals with whom he interacted, and the surroundings Lincoln would have experienced during his life and times.
There are nearly 50 Looking for Lincoln exhibits in Springfield alone. The signs include historic information about the specific location, a timeline and a unique medallion to make a souvenir rubbing. Examples include locations of the office of Lincoln’s dentist where he had a painful tooth extracted, the store where Lincoln bought Mary’s wedding ring and a haberdashery shop where one of Lincoln’s stovepipe hats was produced.
Lincoln-related stories extend far beyond Springfield into the 43 counties of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. Within the dozens of connected communities, the Looking for Lincoln Story Trail includes more than 265 wayside exhibits plus historic sites, events and activities. Local historians and Lincoln enthusiasts developed the displays to tell Lincoln stories that are unique to each community. From northern Freeport to southern Jonesboro, and eastern Danville to western Quincy, there are hundreds of Lincoln stories to discover.
For a listing of all wayside exhibits, historic sites and activities within the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, visit www.lookingforlincoln.org.
This article appears in Visitor 2025.
