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Exploring the Heartland Make the Lincoln Connection at Mt. Zion.
When a young man named Abraham Lincoln arrived in Illinois from Indiana in 1830, he and his family reportedly passed through Mt. Zion, then known as Wilson Post Office, en route to settling on a section of government land bisected by the Sangamon River. The site had been selected by Lincoln's father, who decided to move his family to Illinois following economic problems and land-title difficulties in Indiana.
Lincoln, then 21, helped erect a 16- by 16-foot cabin, a barn and outbuildings at the site, which is known today as Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial. Land was cleared for cultivation, a corn crop planted and rails split to fence in livestock. In the days that followed, Lincoln became proficient at splitting fence rails for local farmers, earning for himself the nickname, "The Railsplitter." As native Illinoisans can attest, some winters here can be brutal, and the winter of 1830-1831 was among the worst in history. Long periods of sub-zero weather and the lack of sufficient food claimed the lives of both humans and animals. A 6-foot snowfall marooned people in their cabins and made travel all but impossible. The Lincoln family was fortunate enough to survive the winter, but discouraged enough to leave their new homestead in favor of a return trip to Indiana. Instead, they were convinced to settle in Coles County on a small farm northwest of Charleston. Abraham, however, did not join them. He opted to canoe down the Sangamon River to New Salem, where he embarked on a career that would eventually lead him to the White House.
The Cabin Site Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial, 8 miles southwest of Decatur and not far from Mt. Zion, has the distinction of being the site of Lincoln's first home in Illinois. When the Lincoln family abandoned its cabin, it stood vacant for years, later serving as a school-house and a farm building. In 1865, following Lincoln's assassination, it was dismantled and shipped to Chicago for exhibition. From there, it was on to Boston Commons for display as a historic relic. Rumor has it that the cabin then was sold to a group in England, but failed to survive its oceanic crossing. In 1938, a 20-acre parcel, including the Lincoln cabin site, was purchased by the Macon County Board and transferred to state ownership. But it wasn't until 1957 that a formal dedication took place. In 1976, a replica of the original cabin was constructed, but it burned in 1990. A plaque now marks the spot where the cabin once stood. Today, visitors to Lincoln Trail Homestead have access to day-use areas with two shelters, playground equipment, horseshoe and volley-ball facilities, water, grills and pit toilets. Shelters can be reserved for $20 each. Facilities include a group camping area, but individual campsites and youth camping are not available.
The site is comprised of 162 acres, much of which is along the Sangamon River bottom. A hiking trail parallels the river, but visitors are cautioned to be on the lookout for poison ivy. Bank fishing is allowed throughout the site, and anglers can land largemouth and smallmouth bass, sunfish, crappie, channel catfish, bullhead, carp, yellow bass, sucker and drum. This portion of the river is popular for canoeing when the river is up. During periods of low water, remains of the Whitley Mill and Dam can be seen from the bluff south of the cabin site. The property was claimed by the Whitley family, who farmed and built a flour mill and dam on the Sangamon River following the departure of the Lincoln family from the area. Shelton G. Whitley erected the mill and later was joined in the business by his brother, James. A small pioneer cemetery used by the Whitleys is situated on the north side of the main park road, and a Whitley memorial is located nearby on the south side of the road.
Spitler Woods State Natural Area In the summer of 1946, Maria R. Smith, 94, wrote of moving to a farm near Mt. Zion in 1857 when she was 11 years old. She noted, "It was all open country, no hedges, no trees of any size, and we could see to the end of the world where the earth and sky met." She wrote of wildflowers and willows, of sand hill cranes, ducks, brants and geese, and of whooping cranes, herons, curlew, rails and plovers congregating around the ponds. There were Canada geese, white heads and brants, mallards, redheads, fish ducks, grebes and die dippers. She recounted the emotion sparked by the mournful cries of loons and of seeing a great trumpeter swan. She recalled the sight of reeds, coarse grasses, flags, rushes and calamus surrounding the ponds. There was a seemingly inexhaustible supply of prairie chickens, quail and wild pigeon (her mother used to make pigeon pot pie), along with "a great many snakes."
There was, she said, no shortage of insect pests. "There were many kinds in those long ago days—locusts, grasshoppers, fleas, gnats, many kinds of flies and mosquitoes in swarms. But the year the army worms came was the worst."
Although Ms. Smith took delight in recalling her youthful memories, she lamented, "The present age will never know the wonder and delight at each new finding that we, who were here at this first inception, knew." Fortunately, properties like Spitler Woods State Natural Area, two-thirds of which is a state nature preserve, play an important role in preserving Illinois' natural heritage. At the 202-acre tract, located 1/2- mile east of Mt. Zion, shaded ravines and towering trees have been preserved for posterity. The woods have retained many varieties of trees and shrubs native to central Illinois. The understudy of plants and animals includes a variety of wildflowers—jack-in-the-pulpit, dogtooth violet, buttercup, Dutchman's breeches, wild geranium, May apple and red trillium, to name a few. The area also is a haven for birds and animals. Visitors can enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the forest when they hike two nature trails—the 2-mile-long Squirrel Creek Trail, which has a
Spitler Woods is an extremely popular day-use area, accessible to people with disabilities. Its four open picnic shelters and one enclosed picnic pavilion each can be reserved for $20 by contacting the site superintendent. Picnic areas are conveniently located, with picnic tables and fire blocks provided. All areas are adjacent to restrooms, drinking water, horseshoe pits and playgrounds. Group camping is allowed by reservation, but there are no facilities for individual campsites.
A new sand volleyball court has just been completed, and there are two large soccer fields, a basketball court and a softball area. For those interested in physical fitness, a half-mile trail with a specially designed jogging surface and 11 exercise stations is a popular attraction. Spitler Woods was donated to the state in 1937 by its namesake, Ida B. Spitler, whose deep love for nature made it possible for today's nature lovers to see some of the Mt. Zion area as it appeared to Maria R. Smith in those days long ago.
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donation per
adult is suggested.
Schedule group
tours in advance by
calling (217) 422-4219.
Visit the society's website
at 
When in the Mt. Zion area, another
worthwhile place to visit is the
Macon County Historical Society's Museum Complex, consisting of interesting
interior and exterior exhibits. Here, visitors
can tour the original 1830 Macon County
Courthouse (where Abraham Lincoln, as a
young lawyer, argued three cases in May
1838), a one-room schoolhouse built in the
1860s, an 1860 log home, a blacksmith shop,
print shop, the Mueller Gun Shop and an
1880s train depot.
