Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site

Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site is a state historic property featuring a reconstructed two-room log cabin and an agricultural farm dating to the 1840s. The roughly 86-acre property shows how residents lived and worked during this frontier period in Illinois.

The property was home to Thomas Lincoln and Sarah Bush Lincoln during the 1840s before the original cabin deteriorated over time. The current rebuilding took place between 1935 and 1936 when the Civilian Conservation Corps reconstructed the structure on its original foundation.

The farmstead demonstrates farming techniques and household management of the 1800s through hands-on demonstrations that show how frontier families worked daily. Visitors see traditional crafts and growing methods still performed to explain the rhythms of this rural household.

The site is located roughly 8 miles south of Charleston near Lerna and operates with regular visiting hours and an information center. Guided tours through the cabin and farm grounds help visitors understand the layout and daily objects used by residents.

As many as 18 members of the Lincoln and Johnston families shared this two-room dwelling during the 1840s. Such crowded living arrangements were typical for extended families in this frontier region where multiple generations squeezed into a small space.

Location: Pleasant Grove Township

Operator: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

Address: South Lincoln Highway Road

Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00 open "museum" || 09:00-dusk open "grounds"; January 01 off "New Year’s Day"; November 11 off "Veteran's Day"; November Thursday[4] off "Thanksgiving"; December 24 off "Christmas Eve"; December 25 off "Christmas"; December 31 off "New Year’s Eve"

Phone: +12173451845

Email: HPA.LincolnLog@Illinois.gov

Website: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnrhistoric/Experience/Sites/Central/Pages/Lincoln-Log.aspx

GPS coordinates: 39.38007,-88.20319

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:21