Lincoln’s New Salem – Where Lincoln Became a Man
New Salem is a town just north of Springfield. In 1930, the town was reproduced to include twelve log houses, a tavern, ten workshops and stores, a mill and a school. They are furnished with articles that may have, and in some case WERE, used by the individuals who owned the original properties.
The village marks a turning point in Lincoln’s career. Although he never owned a home in the village, he owned and operated two stores (one of which was forced into bankruptcy), won the respect of his neighbors when he enlisted in the Black Hawk War, served as postmaster and deputy surveyor, and was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1834 and 1836 after an unsuccessful try in 1832.
