There I grew up - Abe Lincoln

Posted on July 12, 2010

I caught up with Kendell Thompson, the Superintendent at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, to get the "inside scoop" on the National Park and what this historical place offers families from all over.   I found out that kids can actually earn a Junior Ranger badge during their visit - do you have a Junior Ranger in your family? "Abraham Lincoln is often considered one of America's greatest presidents. However, the places and people that formed the character of the man that became our 16th president are almost a secret. These stories are told at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, a National Park Service site established in 1962. In 1816, Lincoln moved with his family to a 160-acre farm in Southern Indiana. "There I grew up," Lincoln later wrote. He said, "All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. God bless her." His mother, Nancy Hanks, is now buried in a small cemetery at the Memorial. In addition to the beautiful Memorial Visitor Center designed by Frederick Law Olmstead Jr., Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial has a working 19th century farm. Visitors can view a film, go to a museum, and watch demonstrations of pioneer farming at the "Lincoln Cabin." There are farm animals as well as crops such as corn, flax and cotton. Children can earn a Junior Ranger badge during their visit. The park preserves our most tangible link to Lincoln's childhood and youth, the place where he worked side by side with his father, mourned the loss of his mother, read books that opened his mind, and grew from a boy to a man." - Kendell Thompson, Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial View more photos from the Spencer County Visitors Bureau on Flickr to see a glimpse of Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial... or better yet, go visit the National Park and learn about Lincoln's life in Indiana during his formative years.