In the 1920's the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
commissioned a series of nineteen bronze roadside plaques to
commemorate the circuit Abraham Lincoln traveled in the Illinois
Eighth Judicial District. These markers were placed on the county
lines of each of the counties in the district. While the wording of
each plaque was the same, the profiles of Lincoln were each
slightly different.
The DAR asked Judge Joseph O. Cunningham to speak during the
dedication of the monuments. Cunningham was 83 years old and the
last surviving attorney who had practiced with Lincoln. Cunningham
opened his speech explaining how the roads in the circuit had
evolved from Indian and buffalo trails. As dusty as this gravel
road can be today it's quite a step up from the muddy, narrow,
deeply ditched roads that existed when Lincoln traveled this way by
carriage.
Cunningham insisted in his dedication speech that these roads
made up "The Real Lincoln Highway of Illinois" and asked,
"What other road has been sanctified by his actual touch in
performing a disinterested humble act for a friend so marked as a
Lincoln characteristic. The answer must be, 'No one.' In conclusion
now, let me plead the supreme claims of this road."
This map was created as part of
this article in 2004. It may currently be
out-of-date.
Only 11 of these markers still exists. Some have decayed over
the years and--sadly--many have been victims of vandalism." Even
worse, some have been stolen and sold as scrap metal by "alleged"
meth addicts looking to make a fast buck.
Enjoy your visit to this out-of-the-way bit of history. There's
a portrait of The Great Emancipator for the first to find.