Restoration of Lincoln's Boyhood Home Cabin

Date: January 15, 2009
Contact: Sandy Brue, 270.358.3137

Restoration of Lincoln’s Boyhood Home Cabin, Knob Creek Farm

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site is please to announce that beginning the week of October 20, 2008; the Historic Preservation Training Center of Frederick, Maryland will begin restoration of the replica cabin located at the Boyhood Home Unit.  The Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek is located 10 miles northeast of the Birthplace Unit on U.S. Highway 31E. The Lincoln family moved to the Knob Creek farm from the Sinking Spring Farm (Birthplace Unit). They lived at the Knob Creek farm for about 5 years from 1811 to 1816. The Knob Creek farm was privately owned by the Howard family for several generations before it was transferred to the National Park Service.

Logs for the construction of this replica cabin were originally obtained from the Austin Gollaher farm and are a tangible link to the Lincoln family. Austin Gollaher was a childhood friend of Abraham Lincoln.

Founded in 1977, the Historic Preservation Training Center provides skilled craftspeople to preserve the thousands of historic structures within the National Park System. Prior to the award of this contract the Center provided a Historic Structure Assessment Report that detailed all work that would be accomplished to restore this structure for future generations to enjoy. 

Park staff will be on site to answer visitor questions during the restoration period. For additional information please contact Sandy Brue, Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management, 270-358-3137 or e-mail us.

Funding for this project was donated by generous grant through the Kentucky Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and the efforts of the Kentucky Historical Society. It is through these efforts visitors come to appreciate the influence Lincoln’s Kentucky year had on his later policies and politics.