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Fletcher Ransom’s Lincoln Calendars

These paintings from 1938 and 1944 reflect how Abraham Lincoln’s legacy was shifting during that period. The Lincoln Memorial had been dedicated in 1922, cementing him as a key figure in the nation’s identity. For many, however, he seemed more marble than human—a symbol of American leadership and unity. That all changed in 1926 when Carl Sandburg published his 2-volume Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years and the American public became fascinated with Lincoln’s earlier life in Illinois.

The Chicago & Illinois Midland Railway Company capitalized on this new interest by commissioning Fletcher Ransom to create a series of paintings for promotional calendars depicting Lincoln’s Illinois years. In these two works, he re-creates two episodes from New Salem. The first, depicts Lincoln’s famous wrestling match with “Jack” Armstrong. The second presents a possible origin for his nickname “Honest Abe” as he judges a cruel frontier sport known as gander pulling.

Gift of Illinois and Midland Railroad, Inc., 2005