When the area, together with its improve­ ments, was deeded to the United States in 1916, President Wilson journeyed to the site and made the acceptance speech in behalf of the Government and of the people of the United States. How to Reach the Park The Abraham birthplace is situ­ ated approximately 3 miles south of Hod- genville, Ky., on U S 31E and State High­ way 61. Transcontinental Highway U S 60 intercepts U S 31W at Fort Knox about 30 miles north of Hodgenville. Transcon­ tinental Highway 62 intercepts U S 31W at Elizabethtown and leads to Bardstown and on into the heart of the Blue Grass at Lexington. Service to the Public The birthplace farm and Memorial Building are open to visitors daily. At­ tendants are on duty at the latter place. Organizations and groups are given spe­ cial service if arrangements are made in The Sinking Spring advance with the superintendent.

cut pink granite and Tennessee marble, Administration was constructed by the Lincoln Farm Asso­ Since 1933 the park has been adminis­ ciation in the years 1909—11 through funds tered by the , United raised by popular subscription. Over States Department of the Interior. Other 100,000 citizens, many of them school chil­ areas in the National Park System that dren, contributed to this fund. The cor­ relate to include the Lin­ nerstone of the building was laid by Presi­ coln Memorial, the Lincoln Museum, and dent Theodore Roosevelt on February 12, the House Where Lincoln Died, Washing­ 1909, the one hundredth anniversary of ton, D. C. Communications concerning RBRQHOM LINCOLN Lincoln's birth. The chief address at the the park should be addressed to the Super­ dedication of the building on November 9, intendent, Abraham Lincoln National 1911, was delivered by President Taft. Historical Park, Hodgenville, Ky. NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

KENTUCKY

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The Boundary Oak. Near this famous landmark Douglas McKay, Secretary stood the cabin in which Lincoln was born. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, Conrad L. Wirth, Director Reprint 1953 16—52316-6 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1953 The Lincolns lived about 2/2 years at 100 acres of which were included in the The first individual to become interested temporarly to the birthplace farm for the r the birthplace site, which eventually was original Thomas Lincoln farm. Here are in preserving the cabin was Dr. George ceremonies attending the laying of the cor­ SSi) a/ranv ^lut coin/ lost to them because of a defective land situated the Memorial Building housing Rodman, who, in March 1861, bought a nerstone of the Memorial Building. In title. Prior to midsummer in 1811 they the traditional Lincoln birthplace log- log cabin standing on the birthplace farm 191 1, upon the completion of this structure, NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK moved to a farm on Knob Creek, about 10 cabin, the Sinking Spring, and the ancient and moved it a little over a mile to the the cabin was taken on the last of its travels miles to the northeast. Their residence boundary oak tree which was a landmark north and reerected it on his own farm. back to the site of its origin and reerected Here began the life of Abraham Lincoln, the man who, more than any other, there lasted only a few years, for in No­ at the time of Lincoln's birth. Here it remained until 1895, when it was within the Memorial Building. preserved the American Union in the time of its greatest crisis, 1861-65. vember or December 1816, Thomas Lin­ purchased by a representative of A. W. The Birthplace Cabin The Memorial Building coln left Kentucky and made a new home Dennett of New York and taken back to in the wilderness settlement of Little The log cabin in the Memorial Building the Lincoln farm where 11 o /> acres of In 1904, the Lincoln Farm Association On a raw frontier farm of rolling land tation as a carpenter. Pigeon Creek, about 16 miles north of the is the traditional birthplace cabin. It is land had been purchased about this time was formed for the purpose of raising by on the edge of "the Barrens," in the cabin On June 10. 1806, Thomas Lincoln filed , in . Nancy Hanks impossible to say with certainty that it is by Mr. Dennett. In the succeeding years popular subscription funds to purchase the by the Sinking Spring, was born the man a declaration of intention to marry , the mother of Abraham, lived the original cabin. From 1861 to the pres­ the cabin was dismantled and the logs care­ birthplace and make it a national memo­ whose strides carried him awkwardly, yet Hanks, and 2 days later, on June 12, 1806. only about 2 years after the removal to ent time the history of the log cabin which fully marked and taken to various exposi­ rial. Richard Lloyd Jones, then managing majestically, over a path which began in they were married by Rev. Jesse Head. Indiana. An epidemic came to the little is now displayed within the Memorial tions throughout the country where it was editor, and Robert J. Collier, publisher, of common Kentucky clay and ended in im­ The newly married couple made their settlement on Pigeon Creek and, while at­ Building is fairly clear. Its history prior exhibited. Eventually the cabin was stored Collier's Weekly, were its leading members. mortality. Here was born the man who home in Elizabethtown. Here their first tending the stricken, she herself was taken to 1861 is a matter of controversy and in the basement of the old Poppenhausen Of the 116/2 acres now comprising the said, "Why should there not be a patient child, Sarah, was born in 1807. ill and died within a week, on October 5, doubt. Nor is there conclusive evidence mansion at College Point, Long Island, historical park 110/2 were purchased for confidence in the ultimate justice of the The image of Nancy Hanks is blurred 1818. The mother of Abraham Lincoln concerning the specific location of the orig­ N. Y. It remained there until 1906 when the Lincoln Farm Association in 1905, people? Is there any better or equal hope and uncertain 4to us of this generation. was buried in an unmarked grave in a little inal cabin. Certain testimony indicates it was purchased by the Lincoln Farm As­ although title did not pass to the Associa­ in the world?" More enduring than One authority'Las said of her, "dim as the clearing in the deep woods. that it stood on top of the knoll where the sociation. It was then taken to Louisville tion until 1907. On April 16, 1916, the bronze or marble, this spot shall speak its dream of a shifting mirage, her face and Memorial Building is now situated; still under a military escort where, after being Lincoln Farm Association deeded its hold­ message of the mystery and majesty of life figure waver through the mists of time and The Park other that it stood under the knoll, a short reerected as a feature of the Louisville ings to the United States of America. to Americans down through the ages. rumor." Although her physical features Abraham Lincoln National Historical distance from the Sinking Spring and Homecoming celebration, the cabin again The Memorial Building, designed by left no definite impression upon the minds The Park comprises 1 16/2 acres of land, nearly about on a level with it. went into storage. In 1909. it was taken John Russell Pope and built of Connecti- of those who years later tried to recall her In the midst of the Indian wars and raids image, there is an almost unanimous agree­ at the close of the Revolution the Lincoln ment among these witnesses concerning her family moved to the frontier region of mental and spiritual attributes. That she Traditional Lincoln birthplace cabin Kentucky. The father of Abraham Lin­ was possessed of a fine native intelligence, showing door and window coln, the sixteenth President, was Thomas courage, and a morality above reproach The Memorial Building Lincoln; his grandfather was Abraham, for and that she was kind and affectionate whom he was named. His great-grand­ seem fairly clear. father was John Lincoln, who had moved from near Reading, Pa., to the Shenan­ The Birthplace of Abraham Lincoln doah Valley of . John Lincoln's On December 12, 1808, Thomas Lin­ son, Abraham, together with his family, coln bought for $200 in cash a 300-acre moved across the mountains into Kentucky farm, known as the Sinking Spring Farm, sometime between 1782 and 1784. Here situated a few miles south of Hodgen's Abraham, the grandfather, was killed by Mill. Here, he and his wife and their in­ an Indian from ambush. This event prob­ fant daughter took up their abode in a one- ably occurred in May 1 786. Thomas, the room log cabin near a large limestone youngest son, was then about 10 years old. spring of cool water which had given its About 1800, Thomas Lincoln settled in name to the place. It was in this one-room Elizabethtown and during the next few- log cabin near the Sinking Spring that the years was a hard-working and industrious child, Abraham, was born to Thomas and Bible of Thomas Lincoln, father of man of that community, acquiring a repu­ Nancv Hanks Lincoln, February 12, i8oq. Abraham Lincoln. In Lincoln Museum, Washington, D. C.