Lincoln State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lincoln State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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Lake Lincoln in Lincoln State Park
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 Lincoln State Park
Location in Indiana
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| Location | Spencer County, Indiana, United States |
| Nearest city | Lincoln City, Indiana |
| Area | 1,747 acres (7.07 km2) |
| Established | 1932 |
| Visitors | 238,147 (in 2003–2004) |
| Governing body | Indiana Department of Natural Resources |
Lincoln State Park is a special place in Indiana, United States. It's located in Spencer County, about 35 miles (56 km) east of Evansville.
This park was created in 1932 and covers a huge area of 1,747 acres (707 ha). It has 10 miles (16 km) of trails for you to explore. Many of the fun places in the park, like campgrounds and cabins, were built a long time ago by a group called the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Besides beautiful nature, the park also has two lakes and places to stay overnight.
Lincoln State Park is important because it's connected to Abraham Lincoln's childhood. You can visit places like his boyhood home, the Little Pigeon Creek Baptist Church and Cemetery (where his sister Sarah Lincoln Grigsby is buried), and the home of Colonel Jones, who was a merchant and employed Lincoln. There are also memorials for Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, whose grave is in the nearby Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. The park also has an interpretive center where you can learn more.
Contents
Little Pigeon Baptist Church: A Place of History
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In 1820, a man named Noah Gordon gave land for a church, about a mile and a half from the Lincoln family farm. In 1821, Abraham Lincoln's father, Thomas Lincoln, was asked to lead the building of the Little Pigeon Baptist Church. Abraham, who was 12 years old, helped his father build the church. Thomas also made the cabinets and the pulpit inside. This church, like many in the area back then, probably didn't have a minister who went to college. It was a "Primitive Baptist" church.
Thomas Lincoln and his second wife, Sarah Bush Lincoln, joined the church in 1823. Five days later, Thomas became a trustee, which means he helped manage the church. Usually, only married adults could become members. Abraham's sister, Sarah, for example, didn't become a member until 1826, just before she got married. The Lincoln and Johnston children often stayed home when their parents went to church, but Abraham did attend later. In 1825, the church decided to build a cemetery next to it. The church was also a place for people to gather and socialize.
Later, in 1840, some families, including the Grigsbys, left this church and built a new one farther south. They called the original church the Old Pigeon Church. They left because they had different ideas about Sunday school and mission work.
Today, the church building you see is part of the state park. It has a special stone from the original church. Near the church is a small cemetery where Lincoln's sister, Sarah Lincoln Grigsby, is buried. No one worships in the church anymore, but it's an important historical site.
Noah Gordon Mill Site: Where Lincoln Worked
Within the park, you can also find the sites of Noah Gordon's home and his mill. Noah Gordon was a neighbor of the Lincoln family. He had a small gristmill, which is a place where grain is ground into flour. Young Abraham Lincoln spent many hours waiting for his turn to grind grain here. Once, when he was nine years old, Abraham was even knocked out for several hours after a horse kicked him in the head while milling grain at Gordon's mill!
James Gentry Home Site: Lincoln's First Job
Young Abraham Lincoln worked for James Gentry at his general store. The place where James Gentry's home stood is located within Lincoln State Park, off of Trail 3. Abraham Lincoln also took a flatboat trip to New Orleans for Gentry, leaving from Rockport, to sell goods. On this trip to New Orleans, Lincoln saw people being held as slaves for the first time.
Col. William Jones Home: Another Place Lincoln Worked
The park also includes the restored Colonel William Jones House near Gentryville. Colonel Jones was a merchant (someone who sells things), a farmer, a politician, and a Colonel for the Union during the American Civil War. His home was built around 1834, and his farm had a general store where Abraham Lincoln also worked. Colonel Jones was born in Vincennes in 1803 and moved to Spencer County in 1828. He and his wife, Rachel, raised five sons on this farm. You can take tours of the home, which includes a restored log barn. The home is located a quarter-mile west of Gentryville on Boone Street.
Lincoln Amphitheater: Plays About Lincoln
Inside Lincoln State Park, you'll find the Lincoln Amphitheater. This is a modern outdoor theater with a roof. It was built in 1987 and started showing a play called Young Abe Lincoln that same year. After being closed for a while, a new play, Lincoln: Upon The Altar of Freedom, opened in June 2009 to celebrate 200 years since Lincoln's birth. This play returned in 2010 and even added "Concert in the Park" where actors sang popular songs from Lincoln's time.
In 2011, Lincoln: Upon The Altar of Freedom was changed into a musical called A. Lincoln: A Pioneer Tale. This musical tells the story of Lincoln's childhood and important events during his presidency. It opened in June 2012 and played for several seasons. The theater had some changes in management in 2015. In 2017, a 30th-anniversary show of Young Abe Lincoln was performed again. There's even a new play about Lincoln being created that will premiere soon!
Lincoln Interpretive Center: Learn About Nature
The Lincoln Interpretive Center is the park's nature center. Here, you can enjoy seasonal programs and see exhibits about the natural history of the area. It's a great place to learn about the plants and animals that live in Lincoln State Park.
