Abraham Lincoln & U.S. Grant Historical Locations in Coles County Illinois

Authoring, Researching, Reporting and other Work

A Resource Page by Howard Taylor

COLES COUNTY & CHARLESTON HISTORICAL SITES WITH & WITHOUT MARKER DESCRIPTIONS
In Chronological or other Order  State Official Historical Markers are indicated by *


 Site to find out where all Illinois historical markers are located:    http://www.historyillinois.org/Markers/markers_county.htm

*10)  Site of Capitol House Hotel (used by Lincoln for his Debate Headquarters)-- Exact point, but different structure

Capitol House Hotel as it would have looked in 1858.  It was located at the corner of Monroe and 6th Streets (n.w. corner)

Charleston in the 1860's.  It had grown dramatically with the establishment of the County Seat in the center (the cross shaped building)  Click Here for an enlarged map


Hotel  Location:  in the downstairs hallway of the Linder Building, N. E. Corner of the Charleston square.  On September 18, 1858, Abraham would come back to Charleston to speak at one of the seven debates with Democrat Steven Douglas.  He would  use the Capitol House as his headquarters.  Both it and the Union House Hotels, on the Charleston square were full of debate spectators and curious.