Abraham Lincoln's Birthday

Over the past several years I have become more and more aware of people’s lack of knowledge, understanding or desire for a sense of history. In the past couple days as I shared with people my recent trip to the wreath laying at William Henry Harrison’s tomb, they wondered, “Who was he?” and “He was only in office one month!” So I shared the story of how William Henry Harrison’s lifetime of work caused people to make him run for the office of President. This man did many great things for our country.

Lincoln's Portrait in Pennies

Today we celebrate the birthday of another great president, Abraham Lincoln. This president has name recognition and many would call him their favorite of all presidents.

The supposed cabin where Lincoln was born

Abraham Lincoln was born 209 years ago on February 12, 1809, at Sinking Spring farm, south of Hodgenville in a small log cabin. Last year I visited the historic site and learned that a log cabin called “Lincoln’s Birthplace” became a tourist attraction in the 1890’s. It was displayed at the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897, and then toured the country, with another log cabin, that of Jefferson Davis. Along the way the logs got mixed up, and the cabin of today contains logs from both cabins.

Lincoln's Boyhood home at Knob Creek

The earliest home Lincoln remembers was where his parents moved in 1811, a few miles north of Hodgenville along Knob Creek.

Lincoln's childhood home in Spencer County, Indiana

At the age of 7 Lincoln’s family moved to Buffaloville, Indiana (near Santa Claus). The future president lived at this location until he was 17, and left home to work on a Mississippi flatboat. Buffaloville is the place where we hear stories of Abraham Lincoln teaching himself to read by the fireplace in the evening. This is also the place the future president gained his strength by farming and splitting rails.

Lincoln''s home in Springfield, Illinois

By the age of 23, Lincoln and his father had moved to Illinois, and the young man became interested in politics, law and Indian fighting. He supported William Henry Harrison in the 1840 Presidential election. He served as a state legislator from 1834-1842, and in the United States House of Representatives, 1847–49. He moved to Springfield, IL in 1836, and built a small home in the city after his marriage to Mary Todd in 1842.

The house where Lincoln died

Teaching our children about our nation’s history is of great importance, for as children learn the lessons of history they learn to avoid the mistakes of the past. They also hear about men and women they can emulate in order to become great leaders of the future. I have always felt it is good to take my children to places where historic events took place, because young children more easily absorb lessons from their environment than lessons which are conveyed through the spoken voice.