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The Lincoln Watermelon Monument - posted on July 7, 2009
Lincoln, Illinois, is the only town to be named for and by Abraham Lincoln before he became president of the United States. The next time you’re in Lincoln, relive a bit of Central Illinois history by stopping at the spot where Abe christened his namesake town.After serving in Congress, in 1849 Mr. Lincoln returned to private law practice. Before entering politics again in 1854, he served as the attorney for the Chicago and Alton railroad, which was constructed about a mile east of Postville (part of modern-day Lincoln). After he assisted with the platting of a new town at the site of the railroad, Mr. Lincoln reluctantly agreed to have the town named after him. The first lots were sold on August 27, 1853, and Abe was present that day for its christening. “Nothing with the name...

Holding Court in Postville - posted on June 17, 2009
Walk up the cobbled sidewalk that leads to the Postville Courthouse in Lincoln and you’re accompanied by ghosts of court days past—including the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, who walked these same grounds himself more than 160 years ago.The Postville Courthouse you enter today is not the same building that Lincoln spent time in. But a tour of the replica—a state historic site and Route 66 Roadside Attraction—offers a glimpse of what the original structure looked like at the time a young Abe Lincoln practiced law there. A Trip Back In TimeInside, displays showcase what life was like for traveling lawyers and explain how the legal system worked in the mid- to late-1800s. Lay your eyes on a rocking chair Lincoln used to sit in when he visited friends in the area—but...