Lincoln State Park

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Lincoln State Park, Indiana, USA
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Lincoln State Park, Indiana, USA
Map of the U.S. state of Indiana showing the location of Lincoln State Park
Map of the U.S. state of Indiana showing the location of Lincoln State Park
Location Spencer County, Indiana, USA
Nearest city Lincoln City, Indiana
Coordinates 38°06′15″N 86°59′47″W / 38.10417, -86.99639
Area 1,747 acres (7.07 km²)
Established 1932
Visitors 238,147 (in 2003-2004)
Governing body Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Lincoln State Park is an Indiana state park. It is 34 miles east of Evansville, IN.

Lincoln State Park is located in southern Indiana in what is now Spencer County approximately 35 miles east of Evansville. The park was established in 1932 and encompasses 1,747 acres (7.07 km²). There are 10 miles of trails in the park. Many of the recreational facilities found within the park were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The park was originally established as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, whose gravesite is now contained within the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. The family of Abraham Lincoln lived in Spencer County for 14 years from 1816 to 1830. Lincoln State Park contains numerous sites significant to this period.

The Sarah Lincoln-Grigsby Gravesite Within the park's boundaries you will find the gravesite of Abraham Lincoln's sister, Sarah Lincoln-Grigsby, located in a small cemetery next to the Little Pigeon Baptist Church. Thomas and Abraham Lincoln helped to construct the original church and the family occasionally attended services there. The current structure contains a cornerstone from the original church.

The Noah Gordon Mill Site Also within the park are the Noah Gordon home and mill sites. Noah Gordon was a neighbor of the Lincoln family and maintained a small grain mill. Abraham Lincoln spent many hours waiting his turn to mill grain here. Young Abraham Lincoln is said to have been "killed for a while" when he was kicked in the head by his horse milling grain at Gordon's mill.

The James Gentry Home Site Young Abraham Lincoln worked for James Gentry at his general store. The home site of James Gentry is located within Lincoln State Park off of trail 3. Abraham Lincoln took a flatboat trip to New Orleans, leaving from Rockport, to sell goods for Gentry. It was on this trip to New Orleans that Lincoln first witnesses slavery.

The Col. William Jones Home The park also includes the restored Col. William Jones Home near Gentryville. Col. Jones was a merchant, farmer, politician, and Union Colonel during the Civil War. The home was built around 1834 and the farm contained a general store where Abraham Lincoln was also employed. Born in Vincennes in 1803, Jones settled in Spencer County in 1828. Jones and his wife, Rachel, raised five sons on this farm. The home is open for tours, including a restored log barn. The home is located 1/4 mile east of Gentryville on Boone Street.

The Lincoln Amphitheatre Within Lincoln State Park you will also find the Lincoln Amphitheatre. The amphitheatre is a state-of-the-art roofed outdoor theatre that was constructed in 1987. From 1987 until 2005, the amphitheatre was home to Billy Edd Wheeler's musical outdoor drama, Young Abe Lincoln. Due to a legislative funding cut, the outdoor drama ceased production at the end of the 2005 season. In 2006 and again in 2007, the amphitheatre will host a series of concerts and events staged by Rising Star Promotions. Nearly $1.5 million was approved by the most recent session of the Indiana General Assembly to resume production of an outdoor drama devoted to Abraham Lincoln and to provide needed upgrades and maintenance to the facility. Local officials expect a new production to premiere at the amphitheatre in 2009. The original idea of an outdoor drama and amphitheatre at Lincoln State Park became a reality after many years of hard work, fundraising, and lobbying by members of the Lincoln Club of Southern Indiana and the Lincoln Boyhood Drama Association.

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Indiana State Parks
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