Located along the shores of the mighty Mississippi in Great Rivers Country, Quincy was a frequent stop for Lincoln. He counted some of its residents among his closest friends. It was here that the historic 6th Lincoln-Douglas Debate took place. Many said it was the turning point of the campaign and Lincoln’s political career as he made his strongest public stand yet against slavery. While you’re in town, visit the historic debate site and Lincoln-Douglas Interpretive Center in the heart of downtown Quincy. Tour the home of famed abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor, Dr. Richard Eells, whose case would be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. Explore the stately mansion once belonging to Illinois’ 12th governor and Quincy founder, John Wood – a close Lincoln political ally and visit the nearby Lincoln Gallary with exhibits telling the story of Lincoln's political and personal ties with Quincy.
For more information:
Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
532 Gardner Expressway
Quincy, IL 62301
217-214-3700
http://seequincy.com/
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
A Victorian Cemetery
1020 S 5th St. (Triangle Inside Cemetery Entrance) Quincy, Illinois 62301
One of the most significant Victorian cemeteries in the Midwest and listed on the National Register, Woodland Cemetery is an example of the rural cemetery movement of the 1800s. Learn how it records community history and has a “garden cemetery” setting. Find out more about Lincoln’s friends buried there, and discover Cornelius Volk’s memorial monument to Civil War soldiers.
Looking for Exhibits Wayside Exhibits related to Quincy in the Lincoln Era are located at 18 sites. The exhibits provide details about Lincoln, events, local people, and environment that contributed to Lincoln's Quincy story.
Guide to Lincoln's Quincy: https://seequincy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/lincoln-in-quincy_web_2016.pdf
Douglas Disciple
Washington Park on Hampshire between N. 4th & N. 5th Quincy, Illinois 62301
William A. Richardson had close ties with both Lincoln and Douglas. Learn about their political and other connections and how two Quincyans, Richardson and Douglas, passed the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act. Why did Lincoln oppose Richardson’s political views yet respect and regard him as “one of the truest men that ever lived”?
Looking for Exhibits Wayside Exhibits related to Quincy in the Lincoln Era are located at 18 sites. The exhibits provide details about Lincoln, events, local people, and environment that contributed to Lincoln's Quincy story.
Guide to Lincoln's Quincy: https://seequincy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/lincoln-in-quincy_web_2016.pdf
Downtown Quincy in 1858
Washington Park on Hampshire between N. 4th & N. 5th Quincy, Illinois 62301
What did Lincoln see in 1858 as he surveyed downtown Quincy from the platform for the sixth debate? Learn about the vibrant commercial district around Washington Square in the “Model City,” anchored by the elegant Quincy House hotel and a columnated Greek Revival courthouse. However, Quincy’s largest manufacturing establishments, riverfront steamboat activity, and new railroad station were built three blocks downhill on the shore of Quincy Bay.
Looking for Exhibits Wayside Exhibits related to Quincy in the Lincoln Era are located at 18 sites. The exhibits provide details about Lincoln, events, local people, and environment that contributed to Lincoln's Quincy story.
Guide to Lincoln's Quincy: https://seequincy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/lincoln-in-quincy_web_2016.pdf
Frontier Illinois
Southeast Corner of Front & Payson Quincy, Illinois 62703
On the site of Quincy’s first dwelling, learn how Lincoln and John Wood shared similar experiences as they settled in frontier Illinois and how this shaped their shared political views. Learn about Wood’s first home in Quincy, a one-room “log cabin of the most primitive sort.” Find out how Wood’s efforts in 1824 helped prevent the legalizing of slavery in Illinois.
Looking for Exhibits Wayside Exhibits related to Quincy in the Lincoln Era are located at 18 sites. The exhibits provide details about Lincoln, events, local people, and environment that contributed to Lincoln's Quincy story.
Guide to Lincoln's Quincy: https://seequincy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/lincoln-in-quincy_web_2016.pdf
His Friends Rest Here
1020 S 5th St. (Triangle Inside Cemetery Entrance) Quincy, Illinois 62301
Many of Lincoln’s personal and political friends are buried in Woodland Cemetery, and Camp Wood, Quincy’s first Civil War army camp, was located nearby. Learn about these friends, the army camp, Lincoln’s soldiers buried here, and the historical significance of Quincy’s oldest active cemetery, which retains the original topography of the town.
Looking for Exhibits Wayside Exhibits related to Quincy in the Lincoln Era are located at 18 sites. The exhibits provide details about Lincoln, events, local people, and environment that contributed to Lincoln's Quincy story.
Guide to Lincoln's Quincy: https://seequincy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/lincoln-in-quincy_web_2016.pdf