The Lincoln Gallery

Located in the Visitors Center next to the John Wood Mansion, the Historical Society’s Lincoln Gallery tells the story of Abraham Lincoln’s political and personal ties with Quincy and its citizens. The Lincoln-related assassination artifacts, featured in the first special exhibit at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, are showcased in the Gallery.

Quincyans served with Lincoln in the Illinois legislature from 1830 to 1850. The Kansas-Nebraska Act caused Lincoln to get back into politics in 1854 . . . bringing him to Quincy, and many local Whig politicians worked with Lincoln to launch the new Republican Party.

The nationally significant Sixth Lincoln-Douglas Debate was held in Washington Square in downtown Quincy.  Quincyans helped nominate Lincoln as the Republican candidate for President, and Quincy friends supported him on his way to the White House.  Lincoln used political patronage to reward Quincyans and used their talents to help his administration and the Union.

Quincyans regularly visited Lincoln at the White House, and Orville Browning was there frequently.  He and Eliza were “family” at the time of Willie’s funeral.  After Lincoln’s assassination, Quincyan Colonel George B. Rutherford guarded the body at the Peterson House.  Browning was present at the autopsy and served as a pallbearer at Lincoln’s funeral.  Later, assassination artifacts came to Quincy due to Lincoln's close ties with Quincyans.

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