Tomb Case 3

The Lincoln Tomb

Lincoln Tomb Register dates ranged from 1932-1948

Dedicated in 1874 by President Ulysses S. Grant, the Lincoln Tomb immediately became the primary place to pay respects to Abraham Lincoln and reflect on his legacy. Like the Lincoln Home register displayed nearby, this register, from the Lincoln Tomb for 1932-1948, contained numerous signatures, including two presidents: Harry S. Truman and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Roosevelt visited on October 21, 1932. He was less than a month from winning his first term as president and came to Springfield to campaign—speaking at the State Arsenal about how his “New Deal” would benefit Illinois farmers. Illinois Governor Louis L. Emmerson (left of Roosevelt) escorted then-Governor of New York Roosevelt (center), his wife Eleanor, and his son James (right of Roosevelt), to the tomb, where they laid a wreath in Lincoln’s honor.

“The fullness of the stature of Lincoln’s nature and the fundamental conflict which events forced upon his presidency invite us ever to turn to him for help.”

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Gettysburg, July 3, 1938

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