The memorial building was designed by architect Richard E. Bishop and dedicated in 1944.
Nancy Hanks Lincoln died of 'milk sickness' in 1818, likely caused by white snakeroot plants consumed by the family's cattle.
The Pioneer Farmstead utilizes authentic 19th-century tools and livestock breeds compatible with the 1820s era.
The site contains a stone hearth that serves as the symbolic foundation of the original Lincoln cabin.
The memorial is located within the Lincoln State Park boundaries, though it is managed separately by the National Park Service.
The bas-relief panels on the Memorial Building were created by sculptor E.H. Daniels.
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial preserves the 180-acre site where Abraham Lincoln lived from age seven to twenty-one. The site contains the memorial building, the gravesite of his mother Nancy Hanks Lincoln, and a recreated 1820s working pioneer farm. The memorial building features five sculptural bas-relief panels depicting Lincoln's life stages and an integrated museum with artifacts. The grounds include the Trail of Twelve Stones, which marks significant locations in Lincoln's life from Kentucky to Washington D.C. Visitors can walk the historic homestead trails that wind through the hardwood forest where the Lincoln family farmed. The National Park Service operates the site as a living history venue with seasonal demonstrations of frontier skills. It serves as both a presidential memorial and an educational resource regarding early 19th-century Midwestern frontier life.
The view of the Pioneer Farmstead with the split-rail fence and historic log cabin in the background.
Wear sturdy walking shoes suitable for gravel and dirt paths across the homestead trails.
Allow extra time to visit the neighboring Lincoln State Park for additional hiking trails and lake access.
Bring bug spray during the summer months, as the dense forest environment attracts ticks and mosquitoes.
Do not attempt to pet the heritage livestock at the pioneer farm, as they are working animals.
The visitor center and memorial building may have reduced operations during winter months; check for holiday closures.
Maintain respectful silence near the Nancy Hanks Lincoln gravesite and cemetery.
