Tri-State Lincoln Adventures

LincolnAdventures.com celebrates the Lincoln Bicentennial by showcasing information, travel resources, and historical facts about President Abraham Lincoln.

Click on any state above for sample traveler itinerary to help you plan your Lincoln adventure!

Begin Kentucky’s Lincoln Adventure from the city of Louisville. You may then visit a number of Lincoln sites, concluding your trip in Frankfort.

DAY ONE

Start your tour at Farmington Historic Home, the 19th century hemp plantation and home of John and Lucy Speed. Completed in 1816 using the labor of enslaved African Americans, the house is newly restored. Abraham Lincoln, a close friend of John Speed’s son Joshua, spent approximately three weeks at Farmington in 1841. Approximate tour length: 1.5 hours.

From Louisville, take I-65 south to Exit 94 (44 miles/71km) onto US 62 west into Elizabethtown and follow the signs to Freeman Lake Park and The Lincoln Heritage House. The two log houses were the home of pioneer Hardin Thomas and his family and were built in part with the assistance of friend, Thomas Lincoln, father of Abraham. Thomas, a skilled cabinet-maker, built the identical stairways, the mantel pieces and other woodwork. Also on this site is The Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln Cabin, a close replica of the home in which Sarah Bush Johnston was living when she married Thomas Lincoln on December 2, 1819, one year after the death of Abraham Lincoln’s mother. Approximate tour length: 45 minutes.

From Elizabethtown follow KY 61 south (Lincoln Parkway), 13 miles/21km to US 31E south. Take US 31 E south approximately 1.5 miles/2.5km (main entrance on the right), and begin your tour of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site. Thomas and Nancy Lincoln settled on the 348-acre Sinking Springs Farm in the fall of 1808. Two months later on February 12, 1809, in a one-room log cabin near the Sinking Spring, the boy who would be our nation’s 16th President was born. Here the Lincolns lived and farmed before moving a few miles away to Knob Creek. The area was established by Congress on July 17, 1916. An early 19th century Kentucky cabin, symbolic of the one in which Lincoln was born, is preserved in a memorial building at the site of his birth. Approximate tour length: 1.5 hours.

Backtrack the short distance to Hodgenville via US 31E north to the town square for an overview of President Lincoln’s life by touring The Lincoln Museum, Kentucky's official museum dedicated to Lincoln’s life and times. The museum features 12 historically accurate scenes from Lincoln’s life. Also included in the museum are Lincoln & Civil War memorabilia, the Lincoln Art Collection, and a 21-minute film. Be sure to walk out to the center of Town Square for a photo-op in front of The Lincoln Statue, which was erected in 1909 and is cast bronze on a pink granite pedestal. Approximate tour length: 1 to 1.5 hours.

(Hodgenville offers several choices for a casual dining lunch experience.)

Follow US 31E north just a short distance (8 miles/13km) to the Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek, which is now part of the National Park System. At age 2 1/2, Lincoln's family moved from the Sinking Spring Farm to the Knob Creek Farm, which was then on the main route from Louisville to Nashville (now U.S. 31E). Lincoln is quoted as saying, "The place on Knob Creek, I remember very well; but I wasn’t born there. My earliest recollection however is of the Knob Creek place." Lincoln's brother Thomas, who died in infancy, was buried here. Approximate tour length: 20 minutes.

Leave Knob Creek for Bardstown via US 31 E north (18 miles/29km). (Overnight lodging and restaurants are available in Bardstown.)

DAY TWO

This morning visit the Civil War Museum, the fourth-largest Civil War Museum in the United States. Unlike the other museums, this one focuses mainly on the War of the Western States. Visitors move through a series of exhibits featuring myriad artifacts from both the Union and the Confederacy. Located 1/2 a block away is the Women’s Civil War Museum, which depicts the role women played during the Civil War. Many were nurses, some were even spies and soldiers, while many, of course, sustained the home life while their husbands fought at the battlefront. There are many original dresses on display, numerous other artifacts and countless stories that are told.

Leaving Bardstown, follow US 150 east toward Springfield to KY 555 north (16 miles/26km). Turn left and follow the signs to Lincoln Homestead State Park (5 miles/8km). The Park features the original home of Lincoln’s mother, as well as replicas of the 1782 cabin and blacksmith shop where his father was reared and learned his trade, and the home of Mordecai Lincoln, an uncle of President Lincoln. Approximate tour length: 1.25 hours.

Take KY 555 south back to the intersection with US 150. Turn left onto US 150 east to Perryville (24 miles/39km). Follow the signs to Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. Perryville became the site of the most destructive Civil War battle in the state, leaving more than 7,600 killed, wounded or missing. The battlefield is one of the most unaltered Civil War sites in the nation, and the park museum tells of the battle that was the South’s last serious attempt to gain possession of Kentucky. Approximate tour length: 1.5 hours.

Continue east on US 150 to US 68 east to Harrodsburg and Old Fort Harrod State Park (10 miles/16km). The fort houses the marriage temple of Abraham Lincoln’s parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. Approximate tour length: 1/2 hour for temple; 1.5 hours for fort.

(Overnight lodging and restaurants are available in Harrodsburg and at Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill.)

DAY THREE

Take KY 152 east out of Harrodsburg to US 27 north toward Lexington and follow the signs to Camp Nelson Heritage Park (20 miles/32km; entrance on the right). Camp Nelson was a Union Army Supply Depot, the largest recruiting, mustering and training center for African American troops in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and one of the largest in the United States. Approximate tour length: 1.25 hours.

From Camp Nelson, continue north on US 27 to New Circle Road (KY 4 east) to Richmond Road (U.S. 25 south/KY 418 east). Merge onto I-75 south to Exit 95 and Whitehall State Historic Site (34 miles/55km), the home of Abraham Lincoln’s friend and his Minister to Russia, Cassius M. Clay. This restored 44-room Italianate mansion was built in 1799. Approximate tour length: 1 hour.

Get back on I-75 going north toward Lexington to Exit 104 (KY 418 west/Richmond Road) toward downtown and Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate, a national Historic Landmark (17 miles/27km). Mr. Clay was a famous 19h century statesman and a political idol of President Lincoln, as well as a fellow Kentuckian. Approximate tour length: 1.5 hours.

Get back on Richmond Road/Main Street going toward downtown Lexington to the Mary Todd Lincoln House (3 miles/5km). The house was purchased by Robert S. Todd, father of Mrs. Lincoln, in 1831. Mary Todd lived here until 1839 when she left Lexington to live with her sister in Springfield, IL. There she met, fell in love, and in 1842, married attorney and political figure, Abraham Lincoln. Approximate tour length: 1 hour.

From Lexington get on I-64 going west toward Frankfort, Kentucky’s State Capital (31 miles/50km). Take Exit #58 off of the I-64 at the Frankfort/Versailles exit. Turn right onto US 60 west and follow the signs to Downtown Frankfort and the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History (Kentucky History Center). Here you walk through 12,000 years of Kentucky history and architecture and exhibits about President Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, the only President of the Confederate States of America who was also born in Kentucky only 100 miles from Lincoln’s birthplace. Approximate tour length: 2 hours.

(Frankfort offers several choices for a casual dining lunch experience.)

Itinerary 1: Indiana, Lincoln’s Boyhood Home

Follow the footsteps of Lincoln in Spencer County. Discover Indiana’s Lincoln and the place he called home from age 7 to 21 years old.

DAY ONE

Start your discovery at Lincoln’s family homestead near Lincoln City. The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial illustrates what life was like for the Lincoln family between 1816 and 1830. The Memorial Visitors Center pays tribute to Lincoln and his time in Indiana featuring a museum and two memorial halls. Visit the working pioneer homestead where park rangers in period clothing perform a variety of homestead activities typical to the era.

Dine at Buffalo Run Farm, Grill & Gifts, a unique and Lincoln-related lunch stop. Buffalo Run commemorates the Buffalo Trace—a route Buffalo herds once used to migrate from the plains of Illinois to Kentucky and south. In addition to lunch, farm tours are also available.

Visit Lincoln State Park, located across from Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. Established in 1932 as a memorial to Abraham's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, the park is home to Lincoln Amphitheatre. The world premiere of "Lincoln" will take place in June on the very grounds where Abraham Lincoln grew up. Enhanced by multimedia projections and period music, the story of the man considered by many to be the greatest U.S. president is expected to be a highpoint of the national celebration of the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth. Audience members of all ages will gain an insight into the life of the man whose legacy continues to forge the future.

DAY TWO

Head to the Lincoln Pioneer Village & Museum in Rockport. The museum houses hundreds of fascinating local area artifacts including a hutch made by Abraham Lincoln's father, Thomas.

Visit the Colonel William Jones Home located in Gentryville. This 1834 Federal-design home has been carefully restored to the period, offering a unique look at the early development of Indiana and the life of Colonel William Jones, Lincoln's first employer and a local politician.

For additional attraction, restaurant, and lodging information -
Spencer County Visitors Bureau

Itinerary 2: Learning about Lincoln in Indiana

Indiana, Lincoln's Boyhood Home, features outstanding collections on the 16th president. Rare and impressive artifacts can be discovered throughout the state.

DAY ONE

Begin your day exploring The Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis. Located in the White River State Park and Canal Walk Cultural District, the Indiana Historical Society features a permanent changing exhibit devoted to the images of Abraham Lincoln, his significance as the 16th president, and his status as an American icon. The Faces of Lincoln exhibit explores the public perception of Lincoln throughout his life and after his assassination.

Lunch is available at the convenient Stardust Terrace located inside the Historical Society.

Head to Indiana’s second largest city, Fort Wayne, located just two hours northeast of Indianapolis. The Lincoln Museum, found downtown, is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the history and legacy of Abraham Lincoln through permanent and temporary exhibits, lectures, and special events. These interactive exhibits offer an in-depth look at Lincoln’s life and legacy, allowing visitors to read Lincoln’s mail, decorate the White House, fight a Civil War battle, and more. The museum also houses a research library with thousands of published volumes and manuscripts regarding Lincoln including several Lincoln originals.

DAY TWO

From Fort Wayne travel historic Lincoln Highway (US 30) toward South Bend. Visit the Studebaker National Museum. Probably more famous for their cars, the Studebakers family business started out manufacturing carriages. Their most famous carriage is the carriage Lincoln rode to Ford's Theatre in the night of his assassination which is on display at the museum.

For additional attraction, restaurant, and lodging information -
Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association
Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention & Visitors Bureau
South Bend/Mishawaka Convention & Visitors Bureau

Illinois - From a Drifter to a President

Lincoln spent 30 years of his life in Illinois. The state is rich with historic sites that take Lincoln from a homeless partially self-drifter to a successful lawyer and political leader to president-elect. The Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield can provide an overview of his life, but the many historic sites scattered throughout central Illinois offer a sense of the real places where Lincoln traveled and lived.

DAY ONE

I-64 Lincoln City 2 hrs Mt. Vernon (60)

The Illinois journey begins
As a young man Lincoln and his family came to Illinois in 1831 from Indiana. Your tour of Illinois begins just south of the spot where they entered the state. As you wind your way north in Illinois, your first stop will in Mt. Vernon for an early lunch and tour of the Illinois Artisans Shop featuring fine crafts of over 800 juried Illinois artisans.

Mt. Vernon 1:05 Vandalia (45)

Vandalia – A young legislator
Lincoln was elected a legislator and served in the Vandalia State House State Historic Site which was the state Capitol of Illinois until 1839. This elegant Federal-style building is totally restored and a will provide a sense of the rough and tumble early years of Illinois politics that shaped Lincoln’s political skills.

Vandalia 1:15 Charleston (2 hrs)

Charleston – It’s debatable
The Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum was built on the site of the fourth debate, but the exhibits retrace all of the debates and describe the significance of the issues and how they shaped opinions in the entire country

Charleston – A hard life
Lincoln’s father and step-mother finally settled just outside of Charleston where they both lived until they died. They are both buried nearby. Never successful financially, Thomas Lincoln’s life as a farmer was tough and his relationship with his son seemed to be a distant one. The Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site is a subsistence farm where Lincoln’s parents lived. The farm has been recreated and offers is a first person interpretive experience. The site also includes a second farmstead, a new museum, a gift shop and an orientation theatre.

First Day: Travel Time 4 hours 15 minutes Tour Time 3 hours 45 minutes

Overnight in Charleston

DAY TWO

On the road to Springfield
The drive to Springfield from Charleston goes through an area of Illinois that is populated by Amish Farmers and several places that might provide an interesting side trip.

Charleston 2 hrs Springfield (5:30)

Springfield – the heart of Lincoln Country

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum – A Journey
The first stop in Springfield should be the state-of-the-art Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum which provides visitors with an emotional, evocative and immersive journey through Lincoln’s life plus two Multi-media theatres, special changing exhibits and the Treasures Gallery.

The museum is within a very easy walk of the Old State Capitol State Historic Site. This majestic structure dominated by imposing porticoes allows visitors to believe that they have stepped to Lincoln’s years in Springfield. Lincoln’s Law Offices State Historic Site are a quick walk across the square. All of these sites are surrounded by shops and restaurants. It would be easy to spend the good part of a day at these three sites.

Lincoln’s Home National Historic Site is within about 3 blocks of the downtown area. Until recently, this was believed to be the only home that he ever owned. Lincoln, Mary and their children lived here from 1844 until he left for Washington. The house and the neighborhood around it provide glimpse of Lincoln the father, husband and neighbor.

Lincoln, Mary and 3 of their 4 children are buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. This imposing structure stands on a slight rise and provides a dramatic image as visitors enter the cemetery. People from all over the world come to the Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site to pay respects to Lincoln. Next to Arlington Cemetery it is the second most visited cemetery in the country.

Second Day: Travel Time: 2 hours Tour Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

Overnight in Springfield
THIRD DAY

Springfield 40 New Salem ( 2 hours)

New Salem – Laborer to lawyer

New Salem State Historic Site is a 23-building reconstructed pioneer village. Lincoln spent 7 years in New Salem. He served as a legislator, studied law, owned a store and became a surveyor. A trip to New Salem reveals the hard prairie life of Illinois and traces Lincoln’s growth from a self-educated drifter to young lawyer with significant potential.

New Salem 55 Mt. Pulaski (30)

Mt. Pulaski – Walk in his Footseps
The drive from Lincoln to Mt. Pulaski takes you through some of the richest farmland in the state. The Mt. Pulaski Courthouse where Lincoln tried many cases is in the center of the town square. This is a chance to walk the floors that Lincoln walked and learn about the many cases he tried and the friends he made in this small community

Mt. Pulaski 20 Lincoln (60)

Lincoln Illinois – The Namesake City
Lincoln christened the city that was named after him with the juice of a watermelon. You can visit the The Postville Courthouse State Historic Site which is a perfect reproduction of the county courthouse where Lincoln and his fellow attorneys stopped along the 8th Judicial Circuit. If time permits Lincoln is also home to the Lincoln College Museum which contains a significant collection of Lincoln-related artifacts. Lincoln is a good place for a lunch break.

Lincoln 50 Bloomington (60)

Bloomington – Life on the fast track
The David Davis Mansion State Historic Site in Bloomington is a elegantly restored 19thcentury mansion that tells the story of Lincoln and David Davis – two self-made men from very different back-grounds. Davis was a powerful political figure and judge who was responsible, in part, for Lincoln’s success in obtaining the Republic nomination.

Overnight in Bloomington or Springfield.

Third Day: Travel time: 2 hours and 45 minutes Tour Time: 4 hours and 30 minutes

Nighttime Entertainment
This itinerary does not include activities for evening entertainment since many events are seasonal. There are numerous possibilities including the outdoor theatre at New Salem, ghost walks in the evening, a flag ceremony at Lincoln’s Tomb, special Victorian entertainment at the Davis Mansion or Shakespeare under the stars. In addition, we can provide suggestions for numerous programs that can be held at restaurants or hotels