Lincoln's First Speech, Looking for Lincoln - Decatur, IL
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 39° 50.496 W 088° 57.336
16S E 332679 N 4412006
Describes Lincoln's first political speech supporting a local Whig candidate given in Decatur on June, 1830 when he was a barefoot 21-year-old! Another of the "Looking for Lincoln" series.
Waymark Code: WMCA2C
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 08/14/2011
Views: 4
The marker adds that Lincoln also argued for clearing and widening the nearby Sangamon River for improved navigation.
There is more to read when you visit the marker. (The LfL marker is somewhat tattered and needs repair.)
The Looking for Lincoln series comprises a total of 220 of these exhibits in 47 Illinois communities to help them more vividly tell their own unique Lincoln story. There are fifteen of these in Decatur. See (
visit link) for a map of marker locations.
Adjacent to the marker is the statue entitled "Lincoln's First Political Speech." From the Smithsonian database:
"A barefoot, shirt-sleeved Lincoln stands, leaning forward, with proper right foot on a tree stump. His proper right hand rests on his proper right knee. With his proper left hand, he gestures as if making a point. The young Lincoln wears farmers garb - a simple shirt and pants.
Dimensions: Sculpture: approx. 5 ft. 7 in. x 3 ft. x 4 ft. 5 in.; Base: approx. 4 ft. 7 in. x 4 ft. 3 in. x 5 ft. 3 in.
Inscription: (Plaque on front of base:) ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S/FIRST POLITICAL SPEECH/LINCOLN MOUNTED A STUMP BY HARRELL'S/TAVERN FACING THIS SQUARE, AND DEFENDED/THE ILLINOIS WHIG PARTY CANDIDATES NEAR/THIS SPOT AT AGE 21 IN THE SUMMER/OF 1830./THIS STATUE ERECTED OCT. 12, 1968 BY/THE DECATUR AND MACON COUNTY HERITAGE/COMMITTEE./THIS PLAQUE IS PLACED BY STEPHEN DECATUR CHAPTER,/NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION/FEB. 12, 1970. unsigned"
ARTIST: Vestuto, Anthony, sculptor.
Lincoln and other historical markers and statues abound in this area.
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