Site of the Lincoln Cabin & Winter of the Deep Snow markers - west Decatur area, IL
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 39° 48.253 W 089° 06.260
16S E 319854 N 4408145
A marker mentioning the location of the first Lincoln family log cabin to the east and a Looking for Lincoln exhibit documenting the Winter of the Deep Snow that the Lincolns faced at their homestead here in 1830.
Waymark Code: WMCFGK
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 09/01/2011
Views: 5
Lincoln's family first came to Illinois and settled here in 1830. (Head a bit further east to more markers commemorating what is thought to be the actual homestead location.)
Marker placed by the Illinois State Historical Society 1957 -
(
visit link)
"The Lincoln Cabin stood near the north bank of the Sangamon River about 600 yards to the east."
Summary of text in the Looking for Lincoln marker, placed by the City of Decatur, Lincoln Heritage Project - In the winter of 1830, snow fell to height of 6 feet and temperatures fell and stayed at below zero. This interfered with parents Thomas & Sarah Lincoln's plan to return to Indiana. They got sick and used up their depleted stores of food. The memorable event of the Deep Snow winter became a defining moment for settlers in this area.
The Winter of the Deep Snow had a profound effect and caused a great loss of life throughout Illinois in the winter of 1830 - 31. Learn more about the winter at (
visit link) and hear a narration of the marker here: (
visit link)
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, placed in 2009. See (
visit link) for a map of all of Decatur’s Looking for Lincoln markers.
From a City of Decatur newsrelease at (
visit link)
“Few people know that Decatur has more Lincoln history than any other city in Illinois outside Springfield. Mr. Lincoln lived in Macon County when he first came to Illinois, practiced law, made his first political speech and was first nominated for President in Decatur and the surrounding area, among other things.”
Decatur abounds in Lincoln and other historical markers and monuments.
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