Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Memorial Dedication, near Hodgenville, Kentucky, 1911

By the early 20th century, the real Abraham Lincoln had long since faded from people's memory. A new generation of Americans had come of age who only knew the stories, the myths, the legends. As the centennial of his birth approached, a renewed interest in Lincoln grew. Admirers crowded the dedication-day celebration of Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Memorial where the martyred President's humble cabin was enshrined.