Explore Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America, was born in a small cabin in Sinking Spring just south of Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. When he was just two, his family moved to Knob Creek Farm, northeast of Hodgenville, where they remained until 1816. 

The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park preserves these two separate farm sites in LaRue County, Kentucky. Both are great stops near the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Cool facts for history and architecture buff's: The cornerstone of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Memorial Building at the Sinking Spring site was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1909 and dedicated by President William Howard Taft in 1911. The neo-classical entry way features 16 windows, 16 rosettes on the ceiling, and 16 fence posts, all representing Lincoln's being the 16th president. The building's 56 steps represent President Lincoln's age at the time of his assassination.

Inside the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Memorial Building is a restored log cabin meant to represent the cabin Lincoln was born in. The actual log cabin was lost sometime in the mid- 1800's.

The second part of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Knob Creek Farm, is 10 miles away from the Sinking Spring site and features a 19th-century log cabin and a historic tavern. 

Whether you have an hour to visit or an entire day, this area of Kentucky is full of great history from the 19th century.