The DAR Insignia is the property of, and is copyrighted by,
the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

	Home	Officers	Meetings	WWII Remembrance
	History Of Chapter	Former Regents	Chapter Markings	Charter Members

STEPHEN DECATUR CHAPTER
NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Decatur, Macon County, IL

This page designed September 11, 2006


Comments By Mark Sorensen, Macon County Historian
at the July 15, 2006 dedication of DAR plaque at Macon County Log Courthouse

"I wish to thank Ann Irwin and the Daughters of the American Revolution for allowing me to participate in documenting and celebrating the rededication of the DAR's efforts to save and rehabilitate one of the oldest and most historic structures in Macon County. I also wish to laud the Stephen Decatur Chapter of DAR for their work in the 1970's to commemorate several other Abraham Lincoln historic sites in downtown Decatur.

This log court house has never completely been an orphan, but over the past 176 years it certainly has had lots of foster parents. Born as a county institution, it only functioned as our court house for eight years. It is during that time that it was linked to Lincoln and his extended family in several ways. In addition to trials and civil actions, it was also used for community functions, elections, marriages and Decatur's Central Christian Church can trace its heritage to a religious service held there in 1833.

The county sold the building to a farmer who used it as a barn. Another family used it as a stable until they learned of its importance. It was then briefly taken over by the Old Settler's Association who moved it in 1894 to Riverside park, Decatur's first and possibly last water park. Two years later it was moved to the south edge of Fairview park, next to the public spring. At this point the ladies of the local DAR chapter worked to take over the dilapidated structure and raise money for its reconstruction. In 1907,Decatur Parks Superintendent, Frank Torrence gave the women two choices, fix it where it sat, or move it west to the crest of a wooded hill near the newly opened Dreamland Park. After viewing the site on the western edge of town, the site committee chose the hill. On October 9, 1908 the building was dedicated by the DAR on what was later dubbed Cannon Ball Hill.

The DAR gave up control of the building to the City of Decatur. The City later turned it over to the Decatur Park District. Around 1960 it was moved from the park hill to the northeast section of Fairview near the newly built U.S. Route 36. In honor of the nation's bicentennial, the structure was spruced up and on June 8, 1976, the Macon County Board once again held its regular meeting in that building.
Falling into disrepair once again, its latest foster parents, the Macon County Historical Society, obtained the building and moved it here in 1992 to this Prairie Village where it is interpreted and used every year to teach 4th grade students about Lincoln and their heritage.

In my study of Lincoln, he seemed never to be held back by history. It always seemed to me that he used the past to understand the present and to help him plan to make the future better. During Lincoln's life not all people were free and equal under the law. I think that we all should remember that when Lincoln camped near and later practiced law in this court house - that for the next 90 years, no woman, regardless of her age or intelligence, was able to cast her ballot for any person who made decisions about whether she could keep wages she made for herself, or whether she could be beaten by her husband, or whether she could see her children after a divorce; nor could woman serve as a lawyer in this court house nor any other Illinois court house until this building had served as a barn for 40 years; nor could any woman serve on a jury in this court house until the building had sat on a Fairview hill for 25 years.

About 20 years after he practiced law in this court house Lincoln said:
"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it."(April 6, 1859)

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.
Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy." (August 1, 1858?)

When we contemplate Lincoln and the things associated with him,it is important to remember
and preserve both the artifacts that he worked with in his life, and the ideals that he worked for. As he told one of his audiences,
"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal (July 10, 1858).

Thanks to groups such as the Macon County Historical Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution,
this court house and Lincoln's highest ideals will last forever."