68 moments

1. Born at Sinking Spring Farm

   1809-02-12 · Sinking Spring Farm, Hodgenville, Kentucky, United States

   

   Lincoln was born in a log cabin on his family's Kentucky farm. Coordinates represent the documented birthplace site within Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park.

2. Childhood at Knob Creek Farm

   1811-01-01 · Knob Creek Farm, Hodgenville, Kentucky, United States

   

   After losing their claim to Sinking Spring Farm, the Lincolns relocated to Knob Creek, where Abraham formed his earliest surviving childhood memories. Only the year and season are supported; the card uses year precision.

3. Settled at Little Pigeon Creek

   1816-12-01 · Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Lincoln City, Indiana, United States

   

   Seven-year-old Lincoln moved with his family to the Indiana frontier, where he spent most of his formative years. Coordinates represent the Lincoln farm site in the Little Pigeon Creek Community.

4. First flatboat arrival in New Orleans

   1828-01-01 · New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

   Lincoln's first flatboat voyage exposed him to the commercial and cultural environment of New Orleans and the Deep South. The source supports spring 1828 but not a precise arrival day; settlement coordinates are used.

5. Crossed into Illinois at Vincennes

   1830-03-01 · Wabash River at Vincennes, Indiana, United States

   The Lincoln family's migration from Indiana entered Illinois by crossing the Wabash River at Vincennes. The exact crossing point and day are not established; coordinates represent the riverfront at Vincennes.

6. Settled near Decatur

   1830-03-01 · Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial, Macon County, Illinois, United States

   Lincoln moved west with his extended family and helped establish his father's first Illinois farm. Coordinates represent the traditional Lincoln family homestead site west of Decatur.

7. Delivered cargo in New Orleans

   1831-01-01 · New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

   Lincoln completed his second documented flatboat journey to New Orleans before returning to Illinois to work for Denton Offutt. The source does not provide a precise arrival or departure date.

8. Departed Springfield on second flatboat voyage

   1831-01-01 · Springfield, Illinois, United States

   Lincoln met Denton Offutt's party in Springfield and began a cargo voyage down the Sangamon and Mississippi river system. The source places departure in late April or early May 1831 but does not establish a day.

9. Returned and settled in New Salem

   1831-07-01 · Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site, Petersburg, Illinois, United States

   Lincoln returned to New Salem and made the village his home, beginning work as a clerk and later serving as postmaster and surveyor. The reconstructed state historic site represents the former village.

10. Joined militia near Beardstown

    1832-04-21 · Richland Creek near Beardstown, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln rode from New Salem to join local volunteers responding to the Black Hawk War and was elected their captain. The precise Dallas Scott property is uncertain; coordinates are a representative point near Richland Creek and Beardstown.

11. Drew supplies at Beardstown

    1832-04-22 · Beardstown, Illinois, United States

    

    Captain Lincoln and his volunteers remained at Beardstown while obtaining weapons and provisions and conducting basic drills.

12. Marched to Rushville

    1832-04-30 · Rushville, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln's militia company marched westward from Beardstown as part of Samuel Whiteside's brigade. The volunteers referenced were Lincoln's company and associated militia units.

13. Reached Dixon's Ferry

    1832-05-12 · Dixon's Ferry, Dixon, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln's company reached the important Rock River staging point used by militia forces pursuing Black Hawk's band. Coordinates represent central Dixon near the historic ferry crossing.

14. Entered the Stillman's Run battlefield

    1832-05-15 · Battle of Stillman's Run site, Stillman Valley, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln's company reached the battlefield after the militia defeat and encountered the bodies of fallen soldiers. The source notes that Lincoln's individual presence at Stillman's Run has been investigated and disputed, although his company is documented there.

15. Camped at Paw Paw Grove

    1832-05-25 · Paw Paw, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln's militia company camped at Paw Paw Grove while moving through northern Illinois. Settlement coordinates approximate the historic grove area.

16. Camped above the Fox River mouth

    1832-05-26 · Fox River mouth, Ottawa, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln's company continued its march and camped near the confluence of the Fox and Illinois rivers. Coordinates are a representative point near the Fox River's mouth; the exact camp is not identified.

17. Re-enlisted at Ottawa

    1832-05-27 · Ottawa, Illinois, United States

    

    After leaving command as captain, Lincoln re-enlisted at Ottawa as a private in Elijah Iles's company.

18. Reached Galena with Iles's company

    1832-06-01 · Galena, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln's company reached the Galena area during operations intended to reassure residents and protect settlements. The source narrows the movement to June 8–10 but does not state the arrival day.

19. Returned to Dixon's Ferry

    1832-06-07 · Dixon, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln marched north with Iles's mounted volunteers and again reached the military staging point at Dixon's Ferry.

20. Camped near Apple River Fort

    1832-06-09 · Apple River Fort State Historic Site, Elizabeth, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln's mounted company camped near Apple River Fort while moving toward Galena. The short quoted phrase refers to the previously identified company containing Lincoln; exact camp coordinates are unknown.

21. Arrived at Kellogg's Grove

    1832-06-26 · Kellogg's Grove, Kent, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln's independent company arrived after the Second Battle of Kellogg's Grove, where Lincoln helped address the battlefield dead. Coordinates represent the battlefield and memorial area.

22. Disembarked at Havana

    1832-07-01 · Havana, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln and a companion traveled down the Illinois River by canoe and continued overland from Havana toward New Salem. The source does not identify the precise landing point or day.

23. Passed through Peoria after discharge

    1832-07-01 · Peoria, Illinois, United States

    

    After his horse was stolen near the end of his service, Lincoln traveled homeward largely on foot and reached Peoria. The source places this after Lincoln's July 10 discharge but gives no precise day.

24. Moved to Springfield to practice law

    1837-01-01 · Springfield, Illinois, United States

    Newly admitted to the Illinois bar, Lincoln left New Salem for Springfield and began practicing with John T. Stuart. The source supports 1837 through biographical context but does not provide an exact moving day.

25. Addressed the Springfield Lyceum

    1838-01-27 · Springfield, Illinois, United States

    Lincoln delivered his early major address, 'The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions,' warning against mob violence and disregard for law. The exact historic venue is uncertain; settlement coordinates are used.

26. Visited Joshua Speed in Louisville

    1841-08-01 · Louisville, Kentucky, United States

    During a period of personal uncertainty, Lincoln visited his close friend Joshua Speed and discussed marriage and emotional difficulties. The source does not identify Speed's precise Louisville residence.

27. Met Shields for a proposed duel

    1842-01-01 · Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois, United States

    Lincoln and James Shields met on an island outside Illinois for a duel that was prevented before combat began. Sunflower Island's nineteenth-century location and subsequent river changes make exact coordinates uncertain.

28. Married Mary Todd at the Edwards home

    1842-11-04 · Edwards Place, Springfield, Illinois, United States

    Lincoln married Mary Todd in the Springfield home of her sister Elizabeth Edwards and brother-in-law Ninian Edwards. Coordinates represent Edwards Place, traditionally associated with the Edwards family; historical venue identification should be treated with slight caution.

29. Attended the Whig convention at Pekin

    1843-05-01 · Pekin, Illinois, United States

    Lincoln attended the district Whig convention while pursuing a rotational arrangement for the congressional nomination. The precise convention building is not identified.

30. Established the Lincoln family home

    1844-01-01 · Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois, United States

    

    Abraham and Mary Lincoln bought the Springfield house that remained their family residence until his presidency. Coordinates identify the surviving Lincoln Home at Eighth and Jackson streets.

31. Rode the Eighth Judicial Circuit

    1844-01-01 · Eighth Judicial Circuit, central Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln became a regular circuit lawyer, traveling through central Illinois for weeks each spring and fall. This card represents recurring regional travel beginning around his 1844 partnership with William Herndon; coordinates are a broad representative point.

32. Spoke in the U.S. House

    1848-01-01 · United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    During his single congressional term, Lincoln used a House speech to satirize presidential candidate Lewis Cass's military reputation. The source supports the year but not the speech day in the quoted evidence.

33. Returned to Springfield law practice

    1849-01-01 · Springfield, Illinois, United States

    

    After his congressional service and refusal of a territorial appointment, Lincoln returned to Springfield and concentrated on law. The source does not establish a precise return date.

34. Delivered the Peoria speech

    1854-10-01 · Peoria, Illinois, United States

    Lincoln's Peoria address against the Kansas–Nebraska Act marked his sustained return to antislavery politics. Month precision follows the quoted source; coordinates represent Peoria rather than an asserted exact venue.

35. Attended the Bloomington Convention

    1856-01-01 · Bloomington, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln participated in the convention that organized the Illinois Republican Party and delivered its concluding address. The canonical article does not give the convention's exact date in the quoted passage.

36. Delivered the House Divided speech

    1858-06-16 · Old State Capitol, Springfield, Illinois, United States

    

    Accepting the Republican nomination for U.S. senator, Lincoln warned that the nation could not endure permanently divided between slavery and freedom. Coordinates identify the Old State Capitol where the speech was delivered.

37. Answered Douglas in Chicago

    1858-07-10 · Chicago, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln spoke in Chicago one day after Stephen Douglas, developing arguments that led into their joint debate campaign. Settlement coordinates are used because the quoted evidence does not name the venue.

38. Campaign speech in Springfield

    1858-07-17 · Springfield, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln continued his Senate campaign with a separate Springfield speech following Douglas's appearance there. The source explicitly records Douglas's absence, not Lincoln's.

39. First Lincoln–Douglas debate at Ottawa

    1858-08-21 · Washington Square, Ottawa, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln and Douglas opened their seven joint debates at Ottawa, arguing over slavery, popular sovereignty, and the Dred Scott decision. The date is supplied by the debate schedule on the same source.

40. Second debate at Freeport

    1858-08-27 · Lincoln–Douglas Debate Square, Freeport, Illinois, United States

    

    At Freeport, Lincoln posed the question that elicited Douglas's Freeport Doctrine, with important consequences for the 1860 election. The date is supplied by the debate schedule on the same source.

41. Third debate at Jonesboro

    1858-09-15 · Lincoln Memorial Park, Jonesboro, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln addressed slavery's expansion and the danger it posed to the Union before a southern Illinois audience. The date is supplied by the debate schedule on the same source.

42. Fourth debate at Charleston

    1858-09-18 · Coles County Fairgrounds debate site, Charleston, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln debated Douglas at Charleston and publicly articulated racially discriminatory positions while continuing to oppose slavery's expansion. Coordinates approximate the historic fairgrounds debate site; the date is supplied by the source's debate schedule.

43. Fifth debate at Galesburg

    1858-10-07 · Old Main, Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln and Douglas debated before a large crowd at Knox College, continuing their nationally reported confrontation over slavery. The source's schedule identifies Galesburg on October 7; the quoted sentence establishes Lincoln's participation in the seven-debate series.

44. Sixth debate at Quincy

    1858-10-13 · Washington Park, Quincy, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln and Douglas debated in Quincy as the Senate campaign approached its conclusion. Coordinates identify Washington Park, the recognized debate location.

45. Final debate at Alton

    1858-10-15 · Lincoln–Douglas Square, Alton, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln concluded the joint debate series by framing slavery as part of an enduring struggle between right and wrong. The date is supplied by the debate schedule on the same source.

46. Worked from the Illinois State Capitol

    1860-01-01 · Old State Capitol, Springfield, Illinois, United States

    

    As president-elect, Lincoln used an office in Springfield's state capitol to receive visitors and manage correspondence. The source establishes the election period but not exact occupancy dates.

47. Delivered the Cooper Union address

    1860-02-27 · Cooper Union, Manhattan, New York City, United States

    

    Lincoln's carefully researched New York address established him as a nationally credible Republican presidential contender.

48. Departed Springfield for Washington

    1861-02-11 · Great Western Depot, Springfield, Illinois, United States

    

    Lincoln left his longtime home for the presidential inauguration, delivering an emotional farewell at the Great Western Railroad station. Coordinates identify the surviving Great Western Depot.

49. Stopped in Pittsburgh

    1861-02-14 · Monongahela House site, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Lincoln arrived during heavy rain and addressed a crowd from the Monongahela House during his inaugural journey. Coordinates approximate the former Monongahela House area; Lincoln arrived February 14 and remained into February 15.

50. Arrived in snowy Cleveland

    1861-02-15 · Cleveland, Ohio, United States

    Lincoln arrived amid a snowstorm and traveled by open carriage to the Weddell House, where he addressed supporters. Settlement coordinates are used because the historic depot no longer survives.

51. Received crowds in New York City

    1861-02-19 · Astor House site, Manhattan, New York City, United States

    

    Lincoln stayed at the Astor House, visited City Hall, and met political delegations during a major inaugural-journey stop. Coordinates represent the former Astor House vicinity near Broadway and Vesey Street.

52. Addressed Pennsylvania legislators

    1861-02-22 · Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States

    Lincoln reached Harrisburg, spoke from the Jones House, and addressed a joint meeting of Pennsylvania's legislature. Settlement coordinates are used; the historic station is no longer extant.

53. Visited Independence Hall

    1861-02-22 · Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Lincoln spoke at Independence Hall and raised a new thirty-four-star United States flag before continuing to Harrisburg. Lincoln arrived in Philadelphia on February 21; this Independence Hall appearance occurred February 22.

54. Arrived in Washington as president-elect

    1861-02-23 · Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station site, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Lincoln reached the capital safely, checked into the Willard Hotel, and began meetings ahead of his inauguration. Coordinates approximate the former station at New Jersey Avenue and D Street NW.

55. Called at the White House

    1861-02-23 · White House, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    On his first morning in Washington as president-elect, Lincoln visited outgoing president James Buchanan at the Executive Mansion.

56. Passed secretly through Baltimore

    1861-02-23 · Baltimore, Maryland, United States

    

    Because of a suspected assassination plot, Lincoln crossed Baltimore covertly during the early morning before continuing to Washington. Settlement coordinates represent downtown Baltimore; the journey involved a transfer between railroad stations.

57. First presidential inauguration

    1861-03-04 · United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Lincoln took office as the sixteenth president and delivered his first inaugural address as secession threatened the Union. The ceremony took place at the Capitol's east front.

58. Consulted Winfield Scott at West Point

    1862-06-01 · United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, United States

    

    Lincoln made an unannounced wartime visit to consult retired general Winfield Scott about military strategy. The canonical source supports month precision only.

59. Dedicated the Gettysburg cemetery

    1863-11-19 · Soldiers' National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the national cemetery, redefining the war around Union and equality.

60. Met Confederate commissioners at Hampton Roads

    1865-02-03 · Hampton Roads near Fort Monroe, Virginia, United States

    Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward met Confederate representatives aboard the River Queen in an unsuccessful peace conference. Coordinates represent Hampton Roads near Fort Monroe; the conference occurred aboard the steamer River Queen.

61. Second presidential inauguration

    1865-03-04 · United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Lincoln began his second term at the Capitol and delivered an address calling for reconciliation and care for those harmed by war. The timeline heading supplies March 4, 1865; the terse quote names the event but not the venue, which is established by the event's standard institutional identification.

62. Stayed at Grant's City Point headquarters

    1865-03-25 · City Point, Hopewell, Virginia, United States

    

    Lincoln traveled to City Point near the end of the war, staying near Grant's headquarters and visiting his son Robert. The documented visit lasted March 25–April 8, 1865; the card uses its opening date.

63. Met commanders aboard River Queen

    1865-03-27 · River Queen at City Point, Virginia, United States

    Lincoln met Grant, William T. Sherman, and Admiral David D. Porter to discuss the war's approaching conclusion. Coordinates represent the James River waterfront at City Point rather than a documented vessel position.

64. Walked through captured Richmond

    1865-04-04 · White House of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia, United States

    

    After Confederate evacuation, Lincoln entered Richmond, walked through crowds of newly freed residents, and visited the former Confederate executive mansion. The Library of Congress timeline dates the Richmond visits April 4–5; coordinates identify a principal documented stop.

65. Returned to Richmond

    1865-04-07 · Richmond, Virginia, United States

    

    Lincoln made a second visit to Richmond with Mary and Tad Lincoln and other officials shortly before returning to Washington. The date is calculated from the source's April 4 first visit and 'three days later'; settlement coordinates are used.

66. Attended Our American Cousin

    1865-04-14 · Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Lincoln attended the comedy at Ford's Theatre and was fatally shot in the presidential box by John Wilkes Booth.

67. Carried to Petersen House

    1865-04-14 · Petersen House, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Doctors and attendants moved the mortally wounded president from Ford's Theatre to a boardinghouse across Tenth Street.

68. Died at Petersen House

    1865-04-15 · Petersen House, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Lincoln remained unconscious through the night and died the morning after the shooting, ending his presidency.