Abraham Lincoln's Legacy
 Congressman Ray LaHood
represents almost the entire area which was contained in the Congressional
District represented by
Abraham Lincoln for his one term (1847-1849) in the U.S. House.
Lincoln's Congressional
District (the 7th District) ran north to south along the eastern bank of the
Illinois River. The counties he represented were: Cass, Logan,
Marshall, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Putnam, Sangamon, Scott, Tazewell, and
Woodford. All of these counties are part of the current 18th District.
Though often overlooked by
other events in his life, Lincoln's term in Congress was a pivotal time in
his development as a national figure. His tenure on Capitol Hill gave
him the experience of working on national issues, laying the groundwork for
his future run for the U.S. Senate and his successful campaigns for the
Presidency.
Illinois, known as the Land of Lincoln, is where Lincoln grew into adulthood
and rose to fame. The Central and Western Illinois counties contained
in the current 18th District represent the very heart of the Lincoln Legacy.
Sites such as the Lincoln Home, the Lincoln-Herndon Law Office, New Salem,
Lincoln's Tomb, several courthouses where Lincoln practiced law as well as
the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum are all
within the 18th Congressional District.
As the Congressman from the
"Lincoln District", Ray has been chosen to co-chair the Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial Commission which is planning the national celebration for the
200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth in 2009. Ray also played a vital
role in spearheading federal funding for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
in Lincoln's hometown of Springfield. |
Lincoln
"Lincs"
Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library and Museum
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
Lincoln Home National Historic
Site
Lincoln's New Salem
Looking For Lincoln
Ray joined Speaker Dennis
Hastert, ALPLM Executive Director Richard Norton Smith, First Lady Laura
Bush, and President George W. Bush for the dedication of the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum.
April 19, 2005 |
