Kentucky

Hodgenville

2 Mins Read

Last updated on February 25, 2024.

When Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809 in a nearby log cabin, Hodgenville was known as Hodgen’s Mill. This small Kentucky town is on the Lincoln Heritage Trail and the nearest settlement to Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park.

Lincoln Square Circle

Lincoln Square Circle, in the center of town, is all about Abe. There’s a statue of a seated Lincoln, and opposite is another statue of a younger Lincoln reading a book.

Lincoln monument at Lincoln Square Circle in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Lincoln monument

Closer look at the Lincoln monument at Lincoln Square Circle in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Closer look at the Lincoln monument

Statue of young Abe Lincoln at Lincoln Square Circle in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Statue of young Abe Lincoln

On each side of the square are inscriptions of Lincoln’s two most famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address. Both are also inscribed in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

Gettysburg Address at Lincoln Square Circle in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Gettysburg Address

Second Inaugural Address at Lincoln Square Circle in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Second Inaugural Address

From the square you can see the historic buildings around town. One of them is the Hodgenville Christian Church, which was built in 1877 and is the second oldest building in town.

Hodgenville Christian Church in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Hodgenville Christian Church

Lincoln Museum

The main attraction in Hodgenville is on one side of the square. The Lincoln Museum is a modest museum that tells the story of Lincoln’s life with life-size dioramas and authentic artifacts. Adult admission is US$5 (as of February 2025), and the museum is open daily. It’s a great complement when visiting the national historical park.

Dioramas include Lincoln’s boyhood on a farm, his love of reading, courting Mary Todd, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, inauguration, and his assassination.

Young Abe Lincoln at the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Young Abe Lincoln

The Railsplitter at the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky — The Railsplitter

Lincoln-Douglas Debates at the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Lincoln's assassination at the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Lincoln’s assassination

The upper floors of the museum contain artifacts from the Civil War and items from the Lincoln White House. Lincoln’s life mask from 1860 was also on display, and there’s a nice view of the square from one of the rooms.

Items from the Lincoln White House at the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Items from the Lincoln White House

Lincoln's life mask at the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky — Lincoln’s life mask

View of Lincoln Square Circle from the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky — View of Lincoln Square Circle

Author nomadicniko

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.