While riding the 8th Judicial Circuit as a young prairie lawyer, Abraham Lincoln frequently visited close friends in Atlanta. This lovely small town in the heart of central Illinois was one of the first in the state to establish a Wide Awake Group – well known for its avid support for Lincoln in his bid to become President of the United States. Twelve years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, local area African Americans held a grand barbeque in Atlanta and folks from throughout the area joined in the celebration. Today, the Atlanta History Museum tells the many stories of Lincoln's connections to this lovely little town. Each year travelers from around the world make Atlanta a stop on their cross-country U.S. Route 66 adventure and often include a visit to the famous Bunyon Statue and the Atlanta History Museum.
For more information:
City of Atlanta Tourism Director
114 SW Arch St.
Atlanta, IL 61723
217-871-7557
https://www.atlantaillinois.org/
Location
Legend
8th Judicial Circuit
Courthouse
Friends of Lincoln
Good for Kids
Guided/Self-Guided Tours
Historic House
Historic Site
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Museum
Passport Site
Recreational
Route 66
Top Destination
Underground Railroad
Visitor Information
Wayside Exhibit
Nearby Sites
Atlanta Visitor Center
114 SW Arch St. Atlanta, IL 61723
Make the Atlanta Visitor Center your first stop into town to find out all the information on local attractions!
In the video below, learn about an early Emancipation Celebration in Atlanta, that attracted people from all over Illinois in 1875.
Atlanta Museum
100 SE Race St. Atlanta, Illinois 61723
Exhibits focused on Abraham Lincoln, Route 66, and other aspects of Atlanta's history are featured. The Museum's Local History Resource Center provides extensive genealogy materials accessible to the public. Housed in a beautifully restored 1867 building, the Atlanta Museum presents both permanent and new, rotating exhibits.
Atlanta Public Library
100 Race Street Atlanta, Illinois 61723
Located across from Route 66 Park in historic downtown Atlanta, Illinois, the Atlanta Public Library is a hub of community activity and an attraction for tourists who are making the Route 66 pilgrimage.
"Wide Awakes" March in Atlanta
112 SW Arch Atlanta, Illinois 61723
Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibits tell the stories of Lincoln’s life and times in Illinois. Each wayside exhibit tells a unique Lincoln story and a local story. Many of the waysides share little known stories about Lincoln and the individuals he interacted with. There are over 260 Looking for Lincoln waysides in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.
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