Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park

Nearly every school kid in Kentucky takes a field trip to the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park.  Located near Hodgenville, Kentucky, this site was saved and developed into a memorial for President Abraham Lincoln through the efforts of the Lincoln Farm Association.  They raised the funds beginning in 1906, and by 1909, the cornerstone was ready to be laid by President Teddy Roosevelt on what would have been President Lincoln's 100th birthday.

The park has a visitor center, walking trails, historical information, and, as its main feature, a memorial building that has a cabin inside that is symbolic of the one the Lincoln family would have lived in when they were on the property in the early 1800s.  They lived on the property until there were land title issues that forced them to move.

This portrait is made of pennies!

Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809 to Thomas Lincoln and his wife Nancy Hanks Lincoln.  Their daughter Sarah was Abe's older sister.

The Thomas Lincoln family

Information about the establishment of the memorial.

The trowel used by President Roosevelt in the laying 

of the cornerstone on February 12, 1909.

There are artifacts of the Lincolns' lives on display in the Visitor Center including a family Bible and a table made by Thomas Lincoln who was a skilled carpenter and furniture maker.

The family Bible

A hand-crafted table by Thomas Lincoln

While this is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, the site has a lot of information about his parents and grandparents.  Abraham had a grandfather named Abraham Lincoln.  To distinguish between the two Abrahams, his grandfather is referred to as Captain Abraham Lincoln.  He died a tragic death in front of his sons.

When we were at the Lincoln Boyhood Home in Lincoln City, Indiana, we learned a little bit about the love Abraham had for his mother.  

Even though Lincoln's mother died when he was young, he thought fondly of her throughout his life.  He's quoted here:  "Everything I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."   

Lincoln's father, Thomas, was just 10 years old when his father died.  He is pictured here.  While he was a farmer, he was also known for his carpentry and wood-working.

Lincoln's father Thomas 

The farm where the Lincolns lived near Hodgenville was known as Sinking Spring Farm.  There was so issue about the land title that ended up causing the Lincolns to move elsewhere.

There are two ways to get to the Memorial; you can take the sunny way and climb the 56 steps (one for each year of Abe's life), or you can take the mobility-friendly, shaded boardwalk.  Because it was the end of May, we opted for the shade!  

The boardwalk from the Visitor Center towards the Memorial

Information about the site.

The building is made of granite and marble.  

View of the Memorial from the bottom

The front of the memorial.  You enter from the back now.

Looking down the 56 steps

The front door

DH's brother volunteers at the park, so he gave us some of his tour-talk while we were there. He told us that there are things under the cornerstone but because the building is now a protected building, it can never be removed to look at!  I looked through newspapers.com to find an article that might mention what was underneath the cornerstone... there's a metallic box with a copy of the U.S. Constitution and other historic documents. 

The cornerstone

The cabin inside is a likeness of the style of cabin people lived in on the frontier of Kentucky in the 1800s.  This cabin is symbolic of the one the Lincolns would have lived in when Abraham was born.

For many years, there was a boundary oak, but it died.  DH remembers seeing it as a boy.

The Boundary Oak.

Also on the property is the springs where the Lincolns would have fetched their water.  

The spring still runs.

Steps from the spring back to the top.

We enjoyed our visit to the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park.  They've done a great job of telling the story of Lincoln's family and their days in Kentucky.  Seeing this place after being at the Lincoln farm in Indiana filled in more of the story of Lincoln's childhood.  It is a good reminder that no matter what our beginnings, greatness can come.

~ Cindy D.