Century of Progress Souvenir, Cross Section of Rail Split by Abraham Lincoln, 1933
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Henry Ford admired Lincoln's down-to-earth, frontier character. The image of Lincoln as the "rail splitter" is central to that theme - it emerged during the 1860 Illinois Republican nominating convention when Lincoln's cousin emerged with a banner constructed of rails split by Lincoln and the audience went wild. This fragment of a split rail was retailed at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.
Henry Ford admired Lincoln's down-to-earth, frontier character. The image of Lincoln as the "rail splitter" is central to that theme - it emerged during the 1860 Illinois Republican nominating convention when Lincoln's cousin emerged with a banner constructed of rails split by Lincoln and the audience went wild. This fragment of a split rail was retailed at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.
Artifact
Plaque (Flat object)
Date Made
1933
Subject Date
1841-1909
Keywords
United States, Illinois, Chicago
Century of Progress International Exposition (1933-1934 : Chicago, Ill.)
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2002.0.25.185
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Wood (Plant material)
Metal
Paper (Document)
Color
Brown
Gold (Color)
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Length: 7.25 in
Width: 3.875 in
Height: 0.75 in
Inscriptions
Front: A CENTURY OF PROGRESS / CHICAGO 1933 / CROSS SECTION OF A RAIL / SPLIT BY A. LINCOLN / FROM LINCOLN FARM / COLES COUNTY ILLINOIS Back: STATEMENT / THE RAIL FROM WHICH THIS CROSS SECTION WAS CUT, WAS / SPLIT BY A. LINCOLN AND JOHN D. JOHNSTON ON THE / LINCOLN FARM IN COLES COUNTY, ILLINOIS, AS IS PROVED / BY THE FOLLOWING AFFADAVIT...
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