Lincoln Trail State Memorial: Gateway to Illinois

The Lincoln Trail State Memorial marks the spot where Abraham Lincoln and his family first entered Illinois in early March 1830. At the time, a young, destitute 21-year-old Abraham Lincoln was making his way as a frontiersman. The memorial, sculpted by Nellie Verne Walker in 1937 and erected in 1938, features a bronze figure of Lincoln standing in front of a limestone panel. The panel depicts three adults and two children walking alongside an ox-driven covered wagon, led by an angel toward their new home.Lincoln's family crossed the Wabash River by flatboat or ferry from Indiana. They then traveled northwest toward unclaimed farmland in central Illinois. The memorial stands as a tribute to Lincoln's early life and the pioneering spirit of his family. Governor Henry Horner, a great admirer of Lincoln, hoped the memorial would serve as a welcome center for travelers on U.S. Route 50.While the Interstate system later bypassed the area, the memorial still marks an entry point into Illinois. Visitors can reflect on the words inscribed on the memorial and enjoy the view of the Wabash River.