Feb. 12, 1809
"I was born Feb. 12, 1809 in then Hardin County, Kentucky." The birthplace farm is about three miles south of Hodgenville, Kentucky.

Apr.-Jul. 1831
Lincoln pilots the flatboat to New Orleans for Offutt and returns to New Salem, eighteen miles northwest of Springfield.

Sep. 1831
Lincoln begins clerking in Denton Offutt’s new store at New Salem.

Mar. 9, 1832
Lincoln becomes a candidate for the legislature.

Jan. 15, 1833
Lincoln and William F. Berry purchase a store in New Salem.

Mar. 7, 1833
President Jackson appoints Lincoln postmaster at New Salem.

Aug. 4, 1834
Lincoln, in his second try for public office, is elected to the Illinois House of Representatives as a representative from Sangamon County.

Feb. 24, 1837
The bill for removal of the capital from Vandalia to Springfield, which Lincoln and eight other members from Sangamon County have been promoting, is passed by the House of Representatives.

Apr. 15, 1837
Lincoln moves to Springfield and becomes the law partner of John T. Stuart. He rooms with Joshua F. Speed.

Nov. 4, 1842
Lincoln and Mary Todd are married in the evening at the home of her brother-in-law Ninian W. Edwards by the Rev. Charles Dresser, Episcopal minister.

Aug. 1, 1843
The Lincolns’ first child, Robert Todd, is born at the Globe Tavern.

Jan. 16, 1844
Lincoln and Rev. Charles Dresser sign a contract for Lincoln’s purchase of the property now known as "Lincoln’s Home." Price is $1,200 and a lot in the business section of Springfield.The Lincolns move in on May 1.

Mar. 10, 1846
The Lincolns’ second child is born and is named Edward Baker.

Aug. 3, 1846
Lincoln, with an unprecedented majority of 1,511 votes over his Democratic opponent Rev. Peter Cartwright, is the only Whig among seven congressmen elected from Illinois.

Feb. 1, 1850
The Lincolns’ second son, Edward Baker, dies after an illness of fifty-two days.

Dec. 21, 1850
The Lincolns’ third son, William Wallace, is born.

Apr. 4, 1853
The Lincolns’ fourth son, Thomas (Tad) is born.

Spring 1856
Contractors Hannan and Ragsdale, at a cost of $1,300 enlarge the Lincolns’ home from a story and a half to two full stories.

Jun. 16, 1858
Abraham Lincoln is the choice of the Republicans of Illinois for the U.S. Senate. Lincoln accepts and in the evening delivers his "House Divided" speech.

Nov. 2, 1858
In the election Lincoln gets a majority -of the votes, but Douglas is re-elected because of gerrymandered legislative districts.

May 18, 1860
Lincoln is nominated for President on the third ballot by the Republican National Convention in Chicago.

Nov. 6, 1860
Lincoln becomes the first Republican to be elected President of the United States.

Feb. 11, 1861
Lincoln delivers his " Farewell -Address " to the people of Springfield from the rear of his car at the Great Western Railroad station.

Mar. 4, 1861
Lincoln is inaugurated the sixteenth President of the United States.

Feb. 20, 1862
William Wallace (Willie) Lincoln dies. He is the second son the Lincolns have lost.

Apr. 14, 1865
Lincoln is shot by actor John Wilkes Booth in Ford’s Theatre.

Apr. 15, 1865
Abraham Lincoln dies at 7:22 a.m.in the home of William Petersen.

May 3, 1865
The funeral train reaches its destination in Springfield, Illinois at 9:00 a.m. The body is escorted to statehouse.

May 4, 1865
Lincoln is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield.