Hallowed Grounds: Monuments and Memorials to Abraham Lincoln

Among American presidents, Abraham Lincoln is one of the most frequent subjects of monuments and acts of commemoration that celebrate his life and legacy. Far beyond Illinois, the famed “Land of Lincoln,” statues and memorials to the sixteenth president pepper the nation’s landscape. Long before Lincoln's birthday was a federal holiday, local groups and clubs held festive dinners every February to mark his birth and celebrate his contributions to the nation. From log cabins and law offices to taverns and courthouses, buildings associated with Lincoln have been branded with historical markers and turned into sites of heritage tourism. Organized in celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, Hallowed Grounds draws from the Lincoln Club of Delaware’s Abraham Lincoln Collection in Special Collections to explore how and why Lincoln is honored and remembered across generations. Through books, event programs, menus, maps and ephemera, visitors are invited to explore the many shrines and tributes to Lincoln across our land and reflect on the unique place he holds in American memory. Hallowed Grounds is on view from August 25 through December 18, 2026, in the Lincoln Exhibition Case, which is located outside the Special Collections Gallery in Morris Library. The exhibition is free and open to the public during the Library’s regular hours.