Category Archives: Lincoln Tomb

Lincoln Tomb custodian’s home

Posted on May 10, 2015 by editor

A contract to build a home for the custodian of the Lincoln Tomb was awarded to Col. James Culver’s contracting company in August 1895. The cost was $2,500, and the design was very specific. The Illinois State Journal spelled it … Continue reading →

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Lincoln Tomb custodians, 1874-1975

Posted on May 8, 2015 by editor

Five men served as custodians of the Lincoln Tomb in the century from 1874, when the still-incomplete tomb was dedicated, and 1975, when tomb management was reorganized. They were: *John Carroll Power (1819-94), a Kentucky native and failed farmer, was … Continue reading →

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Two days in May: The funeral of Abraham Lincoln

Posted on April 22, 2015 by editor

As the funeral train carrying the coffin of President Abraham Lincoln pulled into Springfield’s Chicago & Alton station the morning of May 3, 1865, dozens of special trains had already disgorged visitors from all points of the compass. Thousands more … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Historic Sites, John T. Stuart, Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Railroads | 2 Comments

Abraham Lincoln’s pallbearers

Posted on January 3, 2015 by editor

UPDATED with information from Lincoln’s Springfield: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln, by Richard Hart (2015). Some confusion exists regarding who were the pallbearers for President Abraham Lincoln in May 1865 in Springfield. Springfield newspapers published two slightly different lists preceding … Continue reading →

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Lincoln Tomb: Statuary and symbolism

Posted on November 18, 2014 by editor

This entry is a lightly edited version of a presentation given by Mark Johnson, historian for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, to the 2014 volunteer dinner hosted by the Lincoln Monument Association, a non-profit support group for the Lincoln Tomb.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arts and letters, Historic Sites, Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln, Abraham, Military, National Register | 3 Comments

National Lincoln Monument Association directors, 1865

Posted on November 15, 2014 by editor

The National Lincoln Monument Association, officially organized on May 11, 1865, oversaw fundraising for and construction of Abraham Lincoln’s tomb. Although members originally planned to build the structure on land that now is the site of the Illinois Statehouse, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic Sites, Illinois capital, John T. Stuart, Journalism, Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Media, Politics, Prominent figures | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sharon Tyndale murder mystery, 1871

Posted on October 27, 2014 by editor

Sharon Tyndale, Illinois secretary of state from 1865 to 1869, was shot to death the morning of April 29, 1871, in what became Springfield’s most enduring murder mystery of the 19th century. Tyndale was walking on Adams Street to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Illinois capital, Law enforcement, Lincoln Tomb, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Lincoln Tomb ‘Battle of the Gravesite’

Posted on October 25, 2014 by editor

Today, we take for granted that Lincoln is buried here. But we must remember that the journey from that terrible April day when Lincoln died to the day when he was placed in Oak Ridge’s receiving tomb was a tumultuous … Continue reading →

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Mary Lincoln letters about Lincoln Tomb site

Posted on October 25, 2014 by editor

Below is the text of letters written by Mary Lincoln during a dispute in June 1865 with the National Lincoln Monument Association. The NLMA wanted to build Springfield’s monument to President Abraham Lincoln (and his tomb) on what was called the Mather … Continue reading →

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John Carroll Power (historian, Lincoln tomb custodian)

Posted on June 27, 2014 by editor

John Carroll Power (1819-94), was a historian as well as first custodian of the Lincoln Tomb. Born in Kentucky in 1819, Power “was brought up a farmer, but in later life, contrary to his early anticipations, became an author,” according … Continue reading →

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