Lincoln

Understand

It is the only town in the United States that was named for Abraham Lincoln before he became president; he practiced law there from 1847 to 1859.

The population was about 14,000 in 2019. It is the county seat of Logan County.

Lincoln lost most of its industries in the 1980s and 1990s. Since that time it has struggled to reinvent itself. The end result has been skyrocketing taxation and failures of infrastructure.

History

The town was in 1853, in an unusual ceremony. Abraham Lincoln, having assisted with the platting of the town and working as counsel for the newly laid Chicago & Mississippi Railroad which led to its founding, was asked to participate in a naming ceremony for the town. On this date, the first sale of lots took place in the new town. Ninety were sold at prices ranging from $40 to $150. According to tradition Lincoln was present. Legend has it that when it had been proposed to him that the town be named for him, he had advised against it, saying that in his experience, "Nothing bearing the name of Lincoln ever amounted to much." The town of Lincoln was the first city named after Abraham Lincoln, while he was a lawyer and before he was President of the United States.

Climate

Lincoln has a humid continental climate. Monthly means range from 25.9 °F (−3.4 °C) in January to 75.0 °F (23.9 °C) in July.

Get in

Amtrak's Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle stop in Lincoln on their way between Chicago and Saint Louis.

By car

Lincoln is on I-55 (formerly U.S. Route 66), between Bloomington and Springfield. In addition Illinois Route 10 and Illinois Route 121 run into the city and Illinois Route 121 now ends near Emden, Illinois at the U.S. Highway 136, Illinois Route 121 intersection.