2025 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
| Special Events | |
You will always encounter volunteers on your visit to Lincoln Log Cabin to engage you in the historic experience, but a visit to the site during one of the events below will make your visit extra special. Come and experience 1840s rural life in Illinois! |
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| January |
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| February |
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Lincoln's Birthday The Visitor Center will be celebrating our 16th president's birthday! Refreshments and a craft for kids in the lobby. | |
| March |
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| April |
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Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. This is a free event, but please click here to register. The featured story on April 5th is "Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale" by Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by John Hendrix. "Now, I’m sure you know lots about Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States. But what you might not know is that Abe would never have become president if it hadn’t been for Austin Gollaher. Learn the story of what really happened to Honest Abe when he was just a kid in this nonfiction picture book that’s perfect for President’s Day and every day! The year is 1816. Abe is only seven years old, and his pal, Austin Gollaher, is ten. Abe and Austin decide to journey down to Knob Creek. The water looks scary and deep, and Austin points out that they don’t know how to swim. Nevertheless, they decide to traverse it. I won’t tell you what happens, but let’s just say that our country wouldn’t be the same if Austin hadn’t been there to help his friend." An ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book A Booklist Editors’ Choice A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book Easter Fun on the Farms Celebrate a presidential tradition at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site! The Lincolns and Sargents will be hosting a traditional Egg Roll and Easter Egg Hunt, and a craft activity . The Easter Egg Hunt begins at 1:00 p.m., and the Egg Roll begins at 2:00 p.m. Children (12 and under) will be divided into age groups, with each group having staggered start times. New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "back stage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Benefits of volunteering include meeting and socializing with people who share your interests, learning new skills, giving a boost to your resume or college application, and making a difference in your community. Regular volunteers can also earn discounts in our foundation gift shop, and are invited to private events specifically for volunteers. Call us at (217)345-1845 or email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information and to RSVP.
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| May | |
Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. This is a free event, but please click here to register. . The featured story on May 3rd is "Brave Clara Barton" by Frank Murphy, illustrated by Sarah Green... "Meet a woman who outgrew her childhood shyness to became a fearless "Angel of the Battlefield"! This biography follows Clara Barton as she helps her brother recover from a terrible injury, overcomes her timidity, and works as a teacher, and finally fights her way to the front lines of the Civil War, where she helps soldiers wounded in battle. Clara's story is a testament to the strength, grit, and persistence of women; Clara Barton is a role model who transcends history. Frank Murphy provides little known anecdotes about Clara's life and journeys with easy-to-read, lively writing. Sarah Green's lovely and delicate illustrations render Clara's life in an appropriate and approachable way for young readers. Panda Express Fundraiser!
Young'uns in the Garden Join us in the historic gardens at Lincoln Log Cabin for this hands-on Kids to Parks Day event. This free program for "young'uns" ages 5-10 helps to build a connection with the natural world and helps children develop an understanding of where their food comes from. Participants will learn from our historic interpreters about how we prepare the gardens for the spring, learn a bit about how plants grow, and will assist with the spring planting in the site's vegetable gardens. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. This event is free but please click here to register
Vintage base ball returns to Lincoln Log Cabin for the start of the season on Saturday, May 24th! Visitors are invited to step back in time and join in a game of 19th century ball. The rules to the early version are similar to the modern rules and will be explained before each game. Pack a blanket or lawn chair and a picnic lunch to eat while you watch the game. The Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation will have ice cold drinks, light snacks, and candy available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. All are welcome to play or just watch! Wherever and whenever Americans have gathered for community events, there was always a ball game. After the Civil War, the game of choice was most often town ball. Town ball later became base ball, and finally today’s version with modern rules (and spelled as one word, baseball). Made in Central Illnois! Annual Fundraiser Our annual fundraiser will be hosted at the site featuring locally-sourced food as well as a silent auction with items representing Central Illinois! Join us for heavy hors d'oeuvres from local providers, Illinois beer and wines, and live music with Motherlode.Walk around the site to try different foods and experience the site after hours!
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| June |
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July |
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Independence Day and Vintage Base Ball A reading of the Declaration of Independence will start the day's events, and then visitors are invited to step back in time and join in a game of 19th century ball. The rules to the early version are similar to the modern rules and will be explained before each game. Pack a blanket or lawn chair and a picnic lunch to eat while you watch the game. The Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation will have ice cold drinks, light snacks, and candy available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. All are welcome to play or just watch! Wherever and whenever Americans have gathered for community events, there was always a ball game. After the Civil War, the game of choice was most often town ball. Town ball later became base ball, and finally today’s version with modern rules (and spelled as one word, baseball).
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August |
Basket Weaving Workshop Join Bonnie Rideout of Bonnie's Baskets on Saturday, August 2nd for this hands-on, guided basket-weaving workshop! All tools and materials will be provided, and by the end of the day participants will take home a 3 1/2” H x 13” W x 8 1/2” L Bloom Basket. Bloom starts by weaving a woven, filled base – with two locking rows! Techniques include weaving a flat locking row, twining, start/stop weaving, and the use of overlays. The accent colors are Chocolate Brown, Gold, and Celery Green. This basket would work well as a catch-all or to fill with treats to take to a gathering! Such a cute basket for any décor! Registration in advance is required, and seats are limited! $75 fee includes light refreshments and all materials. Register online Underground Railroad Exhibit A new exhibit highlighting the courageous stories of freedom seekers and the multi-racial conductors who assisted them on the Underground Railroad in Illinois are featured in a new exhibit Journey to Freedom: Illinois’ Underground Railroad. This exhibit tells selected stories of freedom seekers, conductors and communities in Illinois that were part of the journey to freedom on the Illinois Underground Railroad. Using photos, videos, maps, personal stories, and illustrations created specifically for the exhibit, visitors will learn the about the people and communities who took part in this hidden history. Highlighted stories include freedom seekers John and Eliza Little, who traveled barefoot through Illinois to Canada to gain their freedom, or conductors like Henry who worked for Abraham Lincoln, and Mary Ann King Brown who helped the enslaved to freedom in the Springfield, Quincy and Galena areas. Many of the known communities are included, from Cairo through Springfield to Quincy and Chicago. Other featured areas are Brooklyn/Freedom Village, Miller Grove, Rocky Fork, Galesburg, Mount Hope, Jacksonville and New Philadelphia. Journey to Freedom: Illinois’ Underground Railroad is proudly presented by The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, also known as Looking for Lincoln.
Jerry Ellis Memorial Bluegrass Jam
Songs of the Illinois Freedom Road is the powerful new musical performance featuring the songs, stories, and struggles of the Illinois Underground Railroad. Lincoln Log Cabin will present this performance of award-winning folk musician Chris Vallillo. The show features rare first-person accounts of freedom seekers who passed through Illinois. Highlighted stories include John and Mary Little, who traveled on foot 140 miles to Chicago, and George Burroughs, a black Canadian who worked on the Illinois Central Railroad where he helped smuggle escapees to freedom. Vallillo extensively researched the subject using primary source documents such as the 1857 Slave Narratives of Canada and the WPA Slave Narratives as well as the most recent scholarship on the subject. Vallillo combines these powerful stories with eleven historic songs that were sung by the enslaved to inspire and share knowledge among themselves There is no cost to attend the performance, and no reservations are required. This event is partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
| September |
Basket Weaving Workshop Join Bonnie Rideout of Bonnie's Baskets on Saturday, September 6th for this hands-on, guided basket-weaving workshop! All tools and materials will be provided, and by the end of the day participants will take home a 7 1/2” H x 8 1/2” W x 8 1/2” L finished basket. This basic basket is a great project for new weavers and a great refresher for experienced ones. It starts by weaving a woven, filled base. Techniques include setting up a filled base, twining, start/stop weaving and the use of overlays. The accent colors are mahogany and shades of tan, caramel or golden brown. Pretty beads tied on with waxed cord adorn the front of the basket. Registration in advance is required, and seats are limited! $75 fee includes light refreshments and all materials. Register online North of Slavery: The Matson Slave Trial In 1845 Kentucky slaveowner Robert Matson brought several of his slaves to Illinois, where he put them to work on his farm in Coles County. Two years later an enslaved woman named Jane Bryant fled the farm with her four children. Matson turned to the judicial system in Illinois, hiring attorney Abraham Lincoln to help him reclaim his human property. The ensuing freedom suit reveals the complexity of the institution of slavery, its implications for the “free state” of Illinois, and the role the institution played in the Civil War. The talk will examine the critical role the Illinois Supreme Court played in ensuring Illinois developed as a free state and explore why the future Great Emancipator was on the wrong side of history in this case. September 27-28- 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Come celebrate the arrival of autumn at the Harvest Frolic on Saturday and Sunday, September 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Don't miss experiencing 19th-century life on the farm! Activities will take place at both the Lincoln and Sargent farms and will include children's crafts, food preservation, and hearth cooking. A number of artisans will be on site demonstrating their crafts including, spinning, pottery, ropemaking, blacksmithing, tinsmithing, embroidery, soapmaking, and many other 19th-century crafts. Enjoy performances from The Unreconstructed String Band, storyteller and dulcimer player Mike Anderson, the Clockwork Clown, a Punch and Judy Show, and classic Americana circus performers KB Circus Spectacular. Go on a nature walk or watch a performance from storyteller Brian "Fox" Ellis, and take in the view from the Grand Camera Obscura. Historic cricket demonstrations will also be available on Sunday. Food trucks both days include CZ's Fried Green Tomatoes, Kettle Korn, How I Roll Bake Shop, and We-Lik-It ice cream. Schedule of events posted soon.
| October |
Torchlight Halloween Hike, Storytelling, and Wiener Roast You won’t want to miss the chance to enjoy Lincoln Log Cabin in the dark! Join in this fun-for-all-ages stroll as the paths between our historic farms are lit by torchlight. There will be music, storytelling, bonfires, and a wiener roast near the Visitor Center to benefit programming at Lincoln Log Cabin. Volunteers from the Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation will be selling cider, hotdogs, and s'mores for you to roast over the fire. The Torchlight Hike covers mixed terrain, so please wear appropriate footwear and seasonal outerwear. Rain or shine! A Note for Parents: Some stories in the Lincoln Cabin are "spooky," but all are kid-friendly. The pathway between the farms is lit by torchlight, but may be a bit scary for children who are afraid of the dark. Actors in historic clothing and "friendly ghost" makeup are walking along the path to interact with guests. They will be carrying lanterns and are NOT intended to be frightening. | November |
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December |
Old Fashioned Christmas on the Prairie
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