Lincoln Homestead State Park

The Lincoln Homestead State Park demonstrates numerous connections between Abraham Lincoln and Washington County, Kentucky. After the death of Captain Abraham Lincoln in 1786, his widow, Bersheba, moved with her five children to the Homestead site, which is located just north of the city of Springfield. President Lincoln’s father, Thomas, was reared at the site, learning the trades of carpentry and blacksmithing. Thomas Lincoln married Nancy Hanks in Washington County in 1806. Three years later, the couple gave birth to son and future president, Abraham Lincoln.

The Homestead Park features original structures, such as the Mordecai Lincoln House and the Francis Berry House, as well as historical replicas, such as the Lincoln Cabin and Blacksmith Shop.

Lincoln’s Uncle Mordecai built his residence at the site around 1797 and lived as one of Washington County’s most prominent citizens until moving to Grayson County in 1811.

Nancy Hanks lived in the Francis Berry House under the care of the Berry family until 1806 when she married Thomas Lincoln. Thomas courted Nancy in the Berry home and is believed to have proposed marriage in front of the fireplace.

The original marriage bond between Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks is housed in the Washington County Courthouse. In the election of 1860, Lincoln’s political opponents made accusations that he was illegitimate, a possibility that Lincoln himself considered. Searches were conducted in Larue and Hardin counties to no avail, and the question of legitimacy was not settled until 1901 when the original bond was rediscovered in the Washington County Courthouse.

The Francis Berry House at Lincoln Homestead State Park