In the southeast corner of University Park, a seated figure of Abraham Lincoln greets visitors from the corner of New York and Pennsylvania Streets. The bronze statue, commissioned from the estate of Henry Clay Long, a Civil War veteran, was designed by Henry Herig,[1] It sits atop a granite base with the simple inscription of Abraham Lincoln, leaving visitors the option to share their own favorite recollection of Lincoln, the man, and Lincoln, the 16th president. Placed in 1935, this site honors Lincoln’s service as our Civil War President. Lincoln’s Hoosier connection is found in his boyhood as he lived with his family in southern Indiana (Spencer County) from ages 7-20 (1816-1830). Dedicated on December 27, 1934, this addition to the park cost a total of $16,000.00.
[1] Indianapolis Star. “News Clippings.” December 27, 1934. Accessed at the Indiana World War Memorial Museum archive.