Lincoln Trail

The Lincoln Trail, located at 1035 Seymoure Ave., commemorates the place where Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech on September 9, 1858, during his campaign for the United States Senate. 

At that time, what is now the campus of Beckemeyer Elementary School, was the Hillsboro Fairgrounds, where crowds attended agricultural exhibits, political rallies and horse races. A portion of the one-third mile Lincoln Trail follows the original racetrack. The Trail is used by students and physical education classes on school days, and is popular with the walking public when school is not in session. 

In 1858, when Lincoln and Judge Stephen A. Douglas were running for the U.S. Senate, both spoke at the Hillsboro Fairgrounds one month apart – Douglas on August 2nd and Lincoln on September 9th. Their famous debates in seven other Illinois towns occurred between August 21 to October 15. 

On Sept. 9th, the Spaulding and Rodgers Circus was at the Hillsboro Fairgrounds, and Lincoln spoke inside the circus canvas. Published reports of his speech are varied. 

In a published account, a local resident who obviously liked what he heard Lincoln say in Hillsboro, wrote in a letter to the Illinois State Journal, “It continued to rain a perfect torrent during the whole time of the speaking. The seats and pits were packed full of men who hoisted their umbrellas and stood until the last word was heard. At the close, cheer after cheer was given, and a thousand hats were thrown in the air in token of the principles and soul of our own Abe Lincoln.”

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