February 18, 2020

A Rainy Day at the Lincoln Homestead

Last week the annual Lincoln Cemetery event had a big bonus attraction: a tour of the house that has been closed up for years. The house was once the home of President Lincoln's great-uncle.


I've been to the talk at the cemetery once before, but his year the crowd was huge. As soon as the talk ended, we headed toward the house. Frank did not feel up to standing in the long line so he went back to the car. Then a light rain started. I reached the porch before it got too bad, which was a good thing because I had left my hat and umbrella in the car. 




The house has deteriorated over the years but it has new owners who are determined to bring it back to life.

I read later that 700 people toured the house that afternoon!

Here's what a nearby historical marker tells us:
In 1768, John Lincoln moved here with his family from Pennsylvania. His eldest son, Abraham, grandfather of the president, might have remained a Virginian had his friend and distant relative, Daniel Boone not encouraged him to migrate to Kentucky by 1782. Abraham’s son, Thomas Lincoln, born in Virginia (ca. in 1778), met and married Nancy Hanks in Kentucky, where the future president was born on 12 February 1809. Nearby stands the Lincoln house built about 1800 by Captain Jacob Lincoln, the President’s great-uncle, near the original Lincoln homestead. Five generations of Lincolns and two family slaves are buried on the hill.


5 comments:

  1. ...it's great that the house has an owner who appreciates the history of this home. Let's hope that it will be restored. Thanks Linda for sharing, enjoy your week.

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  2. I was a history major in college with an emphasis in the Civil War era. That made your post very interesting to me. - Margy

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  3. Wow, 700 people - that's quite a crowd. It's great that it is going to be restored.

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  4. It is good that the new owners are going to take care of the place.

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  5. So nice that it is going to be restored.

    All the best Jan

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