Lincoln's New Salem Village
Why it's listed
Lincoln's New Salem Village is a reconstructed 1830s frontier settlement on a hill above the Sangamon River south of Petersburg, Illinois, now part of a state park. Its log cabins, stores, a tavern, a school used for church services and a mill stand on their original sites, many on original stone foundations and piers. Only the Onstot Cooper Shop is primarily original; the rest were rebuilt in 1932-33 by the State of Illinois with the National Park Service, after extensive research into cabin styles, locations and even plant types. The village matters because Abraham Lincoln lived here from 1831 to 1837. He clerked in a grocery, ran a mill, partnered in a store, served as postmaster, enlisted in the Black Hawk War, studied surveying and law, and won election to the Illinois General Assembly in 1834. The restoration itself is regarded as a landmark in American historic preservation.
Significance in brief: The village is significant because Abraham Lincoln spent six formative years here, from 1831 to 1837, working as a clerk, storekeeper, postmaster and surveyor while studying law. He was first elected to the Illinois General Assembly from New Salem in 1834. The restoration is also described as the most authentic of its time in the midwest and a landmark in American historic preservation.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000464, listed June 19, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Petersburg in New Salem State Park, Petersburg |
|---|---|
| County | Menard County |
| Listed | June 19, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000464 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (1831-1837 Lincoln residence) |
| Architectural style | Log cabin and timber construction; reconstructed 1830s frontier village |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National, State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the State of Illinois and used as a park; the Onstot Cooper Shop is primarily original and the other structures are restorations on their original sites. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 39.98074, -89.84150 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000464.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3658797
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.