Taking a stroll down Vermilion Street in Danville, circa 1850, you may very well have run into a tall, gangly, somewhat unkempt young attorney, rushing from his office to the nearby courthouse. That young man, probably wearing a tall stovepipe hat, would have been none other than Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln practiced law in Danville for about 18 years as he traveled the now famous 8th Judicial Circuit in Illinois. Notable sites include the Vermilion County Museum, replicating that early courthouse, as well as the adjacent Fithian Home, a Lincoln site on the National Register of Historic Places. Here you’ll find many stories surrounding the people and places in the life of Lincoln the lawyer.
Looking for Lincoln is the coordinating entity for the 43-county Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. We work in partnership with Lincoln Home National Historic Site to tell the story of Lincoln’s almost 30 years in Illinois in communities where Lincoln worked, traveled, and lived. Looking for Lincoln partners with communities, organizations and individuals dedicated to enhancing the communities and landscapes of central Illinois through recognition and support of their significant natural, cultural and historical legacies.
Danville is proud to a member of the Looking for Lincoln Coalition, and is an integral part of the story of Lincoln, Illinois, and the nation.
Learn more about local and statewide Lincoln sites by clicking the links below.