Journey to Freedom: Illinois’ Underground Railroad exhibit was produced by The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, also known as Looking for Lincoln. The heritage area covers a vast swath of Central Illinois, and is commissioned to tell the stories of the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, which includes the stories of freedom seekers moving through the area.
The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area (ALNHA) is a 43-county area of Central Illinois designated by Congress in 2008. The ALNHA works in partnership with the National Park Service and tells the stories of Lincoln’s life and times in Illinois. It is the only National Heritage Area named for an American President.
The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area is focused on the 30 years Lincoln lived in central Illinois, raising his family and pursuing his passion for the law and politics. During this time, we now know he was unwittingly preparing himself to become the President who would hold the Nation together during a time of unprecedented challenges, that of a Civil War, requiring enormous courage to save the Union and bind its wounds, while trying to cleanse the scourge of slavery from our national culture. He was ultimately successful in his objective but gave his last, full measure of devotion at Ford’s Theater in 1865.
We now believe that his journey is our enduring legacy.
Looking for Lincoln would like to thank the individuals who made this exhibit possible. Project advisors are Reggie Guyton, Charlotte Johnson, Barry Jurgensen, Brian Mitchell, Owen Muelder, Barb Oehlschlaeger-Garvey, Greg Olson, Nancy Saul, Pam Smith, Anne Walker, and Samuel Wheeler. Memory Keepers Tony Burroughs, Charlotte Johnson, Renee Johnson, Terry Ransom, Christopher Reed, Glennette Tilley Turner, Anne Walker and Juliet E.K. Walker. Volunteers and image stewards Heather Bangert, Marynel Corton, Larry McClellan, Dr. Bruce Purnell, Marjorie Weir, and Kate Williams-McWorter.
Learn more about the history, sites, and people of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.
Looking for Lincoln Mailing Address
P. O. Box 5398
Springfield IL 62705
Note: The mailing address is the administrative offices of Looking for Lincoln, which are not open to the public for tours. However, we invite you to enjoy the Lincoln Home Historic Site where our offices are located.
Looking for Lincoln Phone & Email
217-492-8366
Sarah Watson, Executive Director
[email protected]
Is your community or organization interested in hosting the ‘Journey to Freedom: Illinois’ Underground Railroad’ exhibit?
Contact [email protected] for more information.