Underground Railroad history, Abraham Lincoln legacy comes to life during Unforgettable Lincoln Days beginning Friday

MACOMB, Ill. — To honor McDonough County’s connection to the Underground Railroad, Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia announces several upcoming events celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s legacy and impact in Macomb, including Unforgettable Lincoln Days and Macomb’s participation in Looking for Lincoln’s Journey To Freedom: Illinois Underground Railroad traveling exhibit.

The following public events will inform and educate people of Macomb and Unforgettable Forgottonia’s often untold Underground Railroad history while promoting diversity, equity and inclusion programming throughout the region.

Unforgettable Lincoln Days — Oct. 4-5

Unforgettable Lincoln Days is a celebration of Macomb’s connection to Abraham Lincoln and its status as an Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area through the auspices of U.S. National Park Service. The event runs from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, and from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday.

Lincoln Days features the world’s only giant Living Lincoln Topiary Monument, “selfie” opportunities with an Abraham Lincoln interpreter, entertainment from an singer/songwriter and roots musician Chris Vallillo, Macomb’s historic Looking for Lincoln Historic Self-Guide Tour, a horse-drawn trolley ride and a live performance of the original play, “When Macomb Hosted Lincoln: Devising the Freeport Question” and more. 

Attendees can celebrate other prominent local figures including civil rights pioneer C.T Vivian through the Macomb Murals Tour, “Big” Al Sears through the same weekend’s return of the Al Sears Music Festival and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Magie, the mind behind the world-famous Monopoly board game. Visitors can play Macombopoly, a gigantic Monopoly board game surrounding Macomb’s historic downtown square while embarking on a state-of-the-art interactive journey of the classic game which pays homage to Lizzie Magie’s pioneering spirit and enduring legacy.

For more information, visit lookingforlincoln.org and http://visitforgottonia.com/macombopoly.

Looking For Lincoln: Journey To Freedom — Macomb Exhibit: Oct. 4 through Nov. 30

The Journey To Freedom: Illinois Underground Railroad exhibit was developed by Looking For Lincoln, Macomb’s partners in Springfield, and under the auspices of the National Park Service, to inform and educate the public of Illinois’ Underground Railroad story. The Journey To Freedom exhibit will make its premiere Sept. 26 at the Springfield Old Capitol and continue through Nov, 30.

Macomb has been invited to be the first stop outside the state capitol on the exhibit’s years-long tour of Illinois in celebration of Macomb’s new recognition as a National Underground Railroad Network To Freedom area by the National Park Service. The exhibit, which opens at 4 p.m. on Oct. 4 at the Macomb Carnegie Public Library, coincides with Macomb’s Unforgettable Lincoln Days weekend and will be open to the public through the end of November.

The Macomb Carnegie Public Library was chosen to host the exhibit for its recognition as an educational hub and its ability to serve as a vital regional resource of education, contemplation, and wonderment for children and community members.

For more information about the scheduled events, visit illinoisugrr.org/schedule.

National Underground Railroad Network To Freedom

The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom has more than 750 listings of sites, interpretive and educational programs, and research facilities related to the Underground Railroad – including Macomb. The listings document the diverse experiences of self-emancipators who bravely escaped slavery and the allies who assisted them.

Macomb’s story of the Allison Family’s work as conductors on the Underground Railroad was received by the National Underground Railroad Network To Freedom Committee in the summer of 2024 and has paved the way for three additional sites — The Blazer Family Homestead, Camp Creek Cemetery and Oakwood Cemetery — to soon be officially recognized by the committee.

Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia will be planning a reception with state and local dignitaries for the opening of the Looking for Lincoln: Journey To Freedom exhibit at 4 p.m. on Oct. 4 at the Macomb Carnegie Library. Unforgettable Forgottonia will officially announce McDonough County’s newly minted status as a National Underground Railroad Network To Freedom area.

For more information on Unforgettable Forgottonia and planning your visit to explore hidden gems in Macomb, go to visitforgottonia.com.