Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park |
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The Memorial Building in 2008
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| Location | LaRue County, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Area | 344.50 acres (139.41 ha) |
| Established | July 17, 1916 |
| Visitors | 252,495 (in 2016) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park |
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Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
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| NRHP reference No. | 66000066 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park is a special place in LaRue County, Kentucky, U.S. It protects two different farm sites where Abraham Lincoln, who became the 16th President of the United States, was born and lived when he was a young child.
Lincoln was born at the Sinking Spring site. He lived there until he was two years old. Then, his family moved to the Knob Creek Farm, where he lived until he was seven. The park's main visitor center is at the Sinking Spring site.
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Discovering Lincoln's Early Life
This park helps us remember and learn about the early life of Abraham Lincoln. It's a place where you can imagine what life was like for him and his family over 200 years ago.
Lincoln's Birthplace: Sinking Spring Farm
In late 1808, Lincoln's parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Lincoln, settled on Sinking Spring Farm. Just two months later, on February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born there. He was born in a small, one-room log cabin.
Today, at this site, you can see a special building that holds a cabin. This cabin is a symbol of the one Lincoln was born in. There's also a visitor center where you can learn more about Lincoln's early life.
The Memorial Building: A Special Tribute
A beautiful building, called the Memorial Building, was designed by an architect named John Russell Pope. It was built to protect the symbolic cabin. On February 12, 1909, which was 100 years after Lincoln was born, President Theodore Roosevelt helped lay the first stone for the building. It was officially opened on November 9, 1911, by President William Howard Taft.
The Memorial Building has some interesting details:
- It has 16 windows, 16 rosettes on the ceiling, and 16 fence poles. These all represent Lincoln being the 16th President.
- There are 56 steps leading up to the entrance. This represents Lincoln's age when he passed away.
The Log Cabin: A Symbol of History
The original log cabin where Lincoln was born was taken apart a long time ago. Over the years, different logs and cabins were thought to be the "real" one. Eventually, a cabin similar to what Lincoln's birthplace might have looked like was placed inside the Memorial Building.
It's important to know that the cabin you see today is a symbol. It helps us imagine the simple home where a future president began his life.
Lincoln's Childhood Home: Knob Creek Farm
After living at Sinking Spring for two years, Lincoln and his family moved a few miles away to Knob Creek Farm. He lived here from age two until he was seven.
The Knob Creek site became part of the park in 2001. It has a 19th-century log cabin, which might have belonged to Lincoln's neighbors, and a historic tavern. One of Abraham Lincoln's earliest memories was almost drowning in Knob Creek and being saved by a neighbor's son!
When Lincoln was seven, his family moved again. This time they moved to Indiana. That site is now known as the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.
How the Park Was Created
The Memorial Building and the Sinking Spring site were first built and cared for by a group called the Lincoln Farm Association. In 1916, they gave the Memorial to the U.S. government. It became the Abraham Lincoln National Park on July 17, 1916.
Over the years, the park's name and management changed a few times. In 1933, the National Park Service started looking after it. In 1998, the Knob Creek site was added to the park. Finally, on March 30, 2009, both sites together were officially named the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park. It's also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a very important historical site.
What You Can Do at the Park
At the Sinking Spring site, where the Memorial Building is, you can visit a museum. You can also watch a film in the theater and find books at the bookstore.
At the Knob Creek site, there are park staff during certain times in the summer. They can tell you more about the area. Both sites are great for hiking and having a picnic.
Pictures of the Park
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Knob Creek Tavern
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South view of tavern
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Back view of tavern
See Also
In Spanish: Parque histórico nacional lugar de nacimiento de Abraham Lincoln para niños
