Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site

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Planning a trip to Central Kentucky? Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville is an interesting and peaceful place to spend an hour or two learning more about the life of our 16th president.  We visited the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site on a recent weekend trip to Kentucky, along with Cumberland Falls, and Kentucky Horse Park. Located approximately an hour south of Louisville, Kentucky, off I-65, the park is nestled among rolling hills and farmland and is the perfect spot for a walk or picnic. 

Visiting the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site

First, the Abraham Lincoln NHS has two different units or parts. One unit is the Abraham Birthplace Unit located at  2995  Lincoln Farm Road in Hodgenville. This is the site of Sinking Spring Farm where Lincoln was actually born in a one-room cabin on February 12, 1809. The second unit is the Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek located at 7120 Bardstown Road in Hodgenville, Kentucky. This is where the family moved when Lincoln was two years old.  The two sites are ten miles apart–a short 15 minute drive.

The Birthplace Unit

Visitor Center

If you are visiting the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site, the best place to start your visit is at the visitor center located just off Lincoln Farm Road.  The visitor center introduces guests to Lincoln’s early years through a variety of exhibits, including an overview of the Lincoln family (including a family tree), the original Lincoln family Bible where Abe’s birth is recorded, exhibits on pioneer life and the Boundary Oak. There is also an information desk and a small bookstore where visitors can purchase books, souvenirs, and other items.  A 15 minute film, “Abraham Lincoln: The Kentucky Years,” is usually shown on the hour and half-hour, but it was closed when we visited.

 

The First Lincoln Memorial

The first Lincoln memorial building was built by donations to the Lincoln Farm Association and opened in 1911.   The building has neo-classical lines and encloses a small  log cabin typical of the time period. While it is not the actual cabin Abraham Lincoln was born in, this one-room cabin is located in approximately the same place as the original, on the small hill above the Sinking Spring, and represents Lincoln’s humble beginnings.

There are two ways to reach the Memorial Building. The first way is to climb the 56 steps in front of it which represent the years of Lincoln’s life. The second way is to follow the Pathway of a President, a wooden boardwalk leading from the back of the Visitor Center to the hill-top building. The wheelchair-accessible Pathway of a President winds through the woods and is a nice shady path. I highly suggest taking it at least one-way.

In addition to the symbolism of the number of steps, the Memorial Building has 16 windows and 16 rosettes on the interior ceiling in honor of Lincoln’s status as the 16th President of the United States.

The Sinking Spring

The Sinking Spring is located just below the hill and to the left of the steps as you are looking up at the Memorial Building. It was named Sinking Spring because the water drops into a hole and disappears into the ground. The Lincoln family likely chose to build their cabin here because of the easy access to water.

 

Hiking Trails

There are three hiking trails at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site, one in each section of the park. The shortest trail is 0.3 miles, and the longest is 1.5 miles. None of the trails have much historical significance, but they are a great place for a little outdoor exercise.

Boundary Oak Trail

The Boundary Oak Trail is located near the Visitor Center. It has two entrances. One entrance is at the top of the hill behind the Memorial Building (to the northwest).  The other entrance is at the end of a sidewalk leading to the site where the Boundary Oak once stood. This is west of the Sinking Spring and bottom steps leading to the Memorial Building.

While this trail is only 0.3 miles long, it does climb uphill no matter which entrance you use. The park service considers the graveled path easy, but also says that it will take 30-45 minutes to walk. Along the way, you may see birds, squirrels, wild turkey, and deer if you are lucky.  Because the trail leads through the woods, it is shaded. There are benches at the top to the inclines for anyone who needs to rest or who just wants to relax and enjoy the woods.

Big Sink Trail

The Big Sink Trail departs from the picnic area on the east side of U.S. Route 31E. There are three loops of varying lengths and difficulty. However, the entire route is only 1.4 miles long. Loop B is considered wheelchair accessible–it is a limestone path, but relatively flat and only 0.4 miles long.  Loop A can only be accessed from Route B; the A/B loop is .75 miles and crosses Keith Road twice. Make sure you look for cars! Loop C is 0.6 miles. These trails are considered easy to moderate and wander through farmland once worked by the Lincoln family.

Overlook Trail

The Overlook Trail is located at the Boyhood Home Unit of the park which is currently closed until July 31, 2021. This strenuous trail is 1.5 miles long (3 miles round trip) and leads to the top of a hill with beautiful views of the valley below.

Other Important Information

A picnic area is located across Lincoln Farm Road. The picnic area is very nice with 12 individual tables set on private cement pads. In addition to the table, each site boasts a bench, grill, and garbage can. Visitors can also reserve the ten table pavilion for larger gatherings. Restrooms are available both at the picnic area and at the Visitor Center.

The Boyhood Unit at Knob Creek

Due to a dispute over the title to the 300 acre Sinking Spring Farm, the Lincoln family was forced to move when young Abraham was only two years old. Thomas Lincoln then rented 30 acres of land at Knob Creek from 1811 to 1816, while the dispute was being settled, eventually losing the Sinking Spring Farm.  Due to ongoing improvements,  the Boyhood Unit will be closed until July 31, 2021, as staff works on restoring the historic Knob Creek Tavern.

Know Before You Go

Address & Directions

The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site is located at  2995 Lincoln Farm Road, Hodgenville, Kentucky. From I-65 South, take the Elizabethtown exit, Exit 91, and follow Kentucky Route 61, the Lincoln Parkway, south for 13 miles. Turn right onto U.S. Route 31 East/Lincoln Farm Road and travel south for 1.3 miles. The entrance to the picnic area will be on your left, and the main entrance (the visitor center and memorial) will be on the right.

If you are coming from the south, take I-65 north to the Sonora exit, Exit 81. take Kentucky Route 84 east to Kentucky Route 61. Turn right onto Route 61 and then turn right again onto U.S. Route 31. The park is 1.3 miles south. The main entrance will be on your right.

Hours and Days

The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site is open 362 days each year. It is closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The Visitor Center and grounds are open from 9 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily. The Memorial Building is open from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. currently. It is a small building, and there is a limited viewing area. When we were there, the Memorial Building was closed due to Covid-19. It has since opened. I suggest that you check current conditions before visiting.

Fees

Like many of the United States National Historic Sites, the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace does not charge admission.

Interesting facts about Abraham Lincoln

1. Abraham Lincoln was the first President of the United States born west of the Appalachian Mountains. Much is made of the fact that he was born in a log cabin, but he was not the first (Andrew Jackson) nor last president (James Garfield) to be born in one.

2. Abe Lincoln was the tallest president to date with a height of 6 feet 4 inches tall. Imagine how he loomed over crowds once he put on his stovepipe hat!

3. Lincoln was the first bearded president.  The story is that Grace Bedell, a young girl from New York, wrote to Lincoln, telling him that he would look much better (and less worried) with a beard. You can read  Lincoln’s beard story here.

4. Abe Lincoln was the first and only president thus far to hold a patent. Patent #6469 described an invention that helped boats navigate shallow water. It was for an inflatable bellows system. However, the system was never implemented.

5. Despite being a lawyer, Lincoln was largely self-educated. He held no diplomas or degrees and only attended school sporadically (less than 18 months altogether).  He gained most of his knowledge through reading.

6. Lincoln was the first U.S. President to be photographed during his inauguration ceremony. Photography was a relatively new invention at the time.

7. On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln signed a bill creating the Secret Service just hours before John Wilkes Booth would shoot him at Ford’s Theatre.  However, the Secret Service that Lincoln established would not have saved him. Lincoln authorized the Secret Service to stop counterfeiters. It would not be until 1901, until after assassins killed two more presidents that the Secret Service would be charge with protecting the president.

Final Thoughts

The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site is a relaxing stop for anyone traveling through central Kentucky. The grounds are beautiful and well-kept. I’m glad we were able to stop and learn more about our 16th president on our little weekend trip to Kentucky!

Learn more about our two days in Kentucky here!

 

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