Abraham Lincoln's First Speech - Decatur, Illinois T-Shirt

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A bronze statue of a young barefoot Abraham Lincoln at the corner of Merchant Street and East Main Street in Decatur, Illinois, commemorates the purported location of Lincoln's first political speech. The sculpture created by Anthony Vestuto was unveiled in 1968.

In 1830, Abraham Lincoln was working on a family member's farm just a few blocks from the town square. Hearing a loud commotion, he hopped the fence to check it out. A crowd had gathered to listen to John Posey's political speech for his candidacy in the Illinois General Assembly.

John Hanks, Lincoln's cousin, boasted there was a man in the audience that could "beat that speech to death."

Seizing the moment, Lincoln mounted a tree stump and proceeded to give an impromptu speech defending the Whig Party and its leader, Henry Clay of Kentucky. Lincoln also spoke eloquently about the future of Illinois and argued for clearing and widening the Sangamon River for transportation for farm goods and products. T...

I'm a travel photographer that enjoys photographing United States architecture, nature, and transportation. As the 8th photographer in 4 generations of my family, I don't remember a time when photography was not part of my life. By the time I was five years old, I was standing on a stool in the darkroom, helping my dad develop pictures. It was my job to transfer the photos from the hypo to the water bath. I went to college for interior design. After I graduated, I had a long successful career as an art buyer and designer for a large home furnishings company. In 2006, I had a significant life change. My husband became a medical traveler, and I decided to put my career on hold to tag along. In the process, I found my roots again. What...