Three states (and one nation) can argue a claim for Lincoln. Kentucky, the birthplace of Lincoln; Indiana, the boyhood home of Lincoln; and Illinois, the Land of Lincoln. The Republican Party frequently refers to itself as the party of Lincoln, although the GOP of 1860 would be unrecognizable today. The Lincoln Motor Company, an aircraft carrier, a submarine. Oh, and a vampire hunter.Â
In this mess of namesakes, what’s Indiana’s part?Â
In 1816, Indiana became a state and the Lincoln family moved from Knob Creek, Kentucky, to what would be Spencer County, Indiana. Lincoln father laid claim to 80 acres and, with his son’s help, cleared the land of trees and used the wood for a log cabin. The land was reasonably fertile and a nearby water source made it hospitable.
