Quincy's Significant Lincoln Legacy
You are entering an area with a significant Lincoln Legacy. Lincoln’s Quincy connections were vital to his political career, and Quincy was a crucial “gateway to the South” during the Civil War. It is one of six cities in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area designated a Gateway Community. These gateway sites serve as entry points to the National Heritage Area and introduce visitors to local and regional Lincoln stories.
Located along the shores of the Mississippi, Quincy was well known to Lincoln, and he counted some of its residents among his closest friends. It was here that the sixth LincolnDouglas Debate occurred in Washington Square (now Washington Park). With an estimated crowd of 12,000 in attendance, Quincy was the largest community in which the two challengers debated. It was the turning point of the campaign and Lincoln’s career, as he made his strongest public stand yet against slavery.
