Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, who practiced at the Pike County Bar in early days and who spoke in this park in the Senatorial Campaign of 1858; John Hay, author of Pike County Ballads, diplomatist and Secretary of State 1898 - 1905, who received his academic education here; and John G. Nicolay, private secretary to President Lincoln, who edited the Whig Free Press published here prior to the Civil War.

The City of Pittsfield, established in 1833, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places after a historic district was created due to its connections with historic figures. The most notable historic landmark is the Pike County Courthouse built in 1894 by Robert Franklin. It is the only 8-sided Courthouse in the world. John M. Osdel, who also designed the Palmer House in Chicago and the Governor's mansion in Springfield, designed East Ward School, the home of the Pike County Historic Society.
There are nine homes in Pittsfield that have direct ties to Abraham Lincoln. The Shastid house, one of the earliest homes in Pittsfield, has been restored and furnished with period furniture. It was built by John Shastid, a long-time friend of Lincoln's.

Lincoln's 1858 Senatorial campaign visit to Pittsfield prompted a test firing of the town cannon. Firing the town cannon was a popular campaign practice of the time. Charles Lame was seriously injured during the test firing. Later that day, Lincoln walked down to the Lame house to check on Mr. Lame but was denied admission by his wife since Dr. J.H. Ledlie had ordered for Lame to have no visitors. Lincoln had an ambrotype taken in Pittsfield and had the photographer deliver a copy to the Lames.

Florence Hotel faces both streets in this small Illinois River Town. Abraham Lincoln's known to have stayed in this hotel and at Naples and presumably at Valley City, although Lincoln did not like hotels of the time. Why? Because hotels of the time, were more like barracks, and not individual rooms. So, privacy was at a premium.

Originally called the Findley Hotel, built 1850.
Text from current Hotel Brochure:
Built in 1850, the three story structure is the only brick building in the town of Florence, Illinois. Overlooking the beautiful Illinois River, locals still use the name "Ole Brick" when referring to the stately building. Legend has it that Abe Lincoln stayed in this former hotel around 1858 while traveling through Pike County when meeting people and engaging in debates. Some believe his visits were many to this hotel located between Winchester and Pittsfield.

Even though the current bridge (or any former bridge) was not there in the mid 1850's, Florence was the place where people crossed the Illinois River. Using ferry boats to transport, it could take hours before one could reach the other side. For many years the "Ole Brick" sat dormant, waiting for the second chance it so deserved. In July of 2002, the building was bought and after months of decision making, restoration of the building was begun in January of 2003, with a completion date of summer, 2003. The Findley Hotel name was changed as the building's new life began. Maybe it will stand for another 153 years!

Grimshaw was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia, PA., and came to Pike County in 1833. A prominent local attorney, he was adjutant of the 17th Ill. Militia and a delegate to both state constitutional conventions as a Whig Party member. He authored the provision against dueling in the 1847 state constitution. Grimshaw participated in several court cases with Lincoln in Pike County and hired Abraham Lincoln to represent him in a federal court case in Chicago. Grimshaw's office was in one of the front rooms of his home. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Chicago in 1860, which nominated Lincoln for President.

Abraham Lincoln drank cider and ate gingerbread here. Site of the first Pike County courthouse in Pittsfield. The building was sold to Joseph Heck, a native of Durmersheim, Germany, born there in 1822. Heck emigrated to America in 1846, moving first to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and then here to Pittsfield in 1855. He was a grocer, baker and confectioner. John Nicolay took Lincoln to "Penny Hecks" for cider and gingerbread Oct 1, 1858, during his Senatorial campaign visit.

Abraham Lincoln slept here often. Abe Lincoln slept here while a lawyer, and in 1858 when he was a candidate in the U.S. Senate race against Stephen Douglas. The house contained the only library in the Griggsville area at the time and Lincoln liked to sit, study and write in this second-floor room when he spent the night in the bedroom off the library. The Tylers and Lincoln became good friends and when Lincoln became the United States 16th President, he appointed his friend's son, Aaron Tyler, Jr., a lawyer, to a federal judgeship in Chicago. The house was built with Maine lumber by the senior Tyler in 1837, was a farm house, and was considered the finest house in town at the time.

He was the third of Abraham Lincoln's secretaries, going to Washington DC during the Civil War. He left Washington to tend to his ill mother, and never returned as Lincoln was assassinated.