A history of Lincoln,
since 1853
Postcards, papers and photographs of Lincoln from public archives, woven together by decade. Neighbors fill in the gaps.
The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗The town's standard history holds that it was officially named on August 27, 1853, in an unusual ceremony. Abraham Lincoln, having assisted with the platting of the town and working as counsel for the newly laid Chicago & Mississippi Railroad which led to its founding, was asked to participate in a naming ceremony for the town. On this date, the first sale of lots took place in the new town.
Ninety were sold at prices ranging from $40 to $150. According to tradition Lincoln was present. At noon he purchased two watermelons and carried one under each arm to the public square. There he invited Latham, Hickox, and Gillette, proprietors, to join him, saying, "Now we'll christen the new town," squeezing watermelon juice out on the ground.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Timeline
built from the dates on the items belowFinish Lincoln’s story
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
2 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 🔁Retake an old view1940 Census Enumeration District …, 1850: stand where they stood+15 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Famous people from Lincoln
See all 33 →
Lincoln, decade by decade
1990s
6 historic places in Lincoln
Lincoln has 6 listings on the National Register, and they protect 94 historic buildings, because Lincoln Courthouse Square Historic District alone counts 88.
Where they are
Architectural styles
When they were listed
Listed 1973University Hall
Listed 1980Lincoln Public Library
Listed 1984Stephan A. Foley House
Listed 1985Lincoln Courthouse Square Historic District
Listed 2004Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Listed 2007Hoblit HouseThen & now
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as 1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Illinois - Logan County - ED 54-13A, ED 54-13B, ED 54-14, ED 54-15, ED … (1850) and it appears here side by side.
🔁 Retake this view · +15Stories next door
nearby towns’ historyFrom Wikimedia Commons (4), the Library of Congress (1) and the National Register (1). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.