Because Lincoln visited Urbana on the law circuit, this bronze masterpiece
originally stood near the courthouse where he practiced law. Soon
after its dedication in 1927, however, it was moved to Carle Park
across the street from the high school.
Dr. William E. Barton, the dedicatory speaker, explained, "This
statue shows Abraham Lincoln as Urbana saw him, in the days when
he stood at the bar of justice in the court house yonder, or
spoke at political meetings in the court house square."Taft Statue in
Urbana, Illinois
This university town boasts one of the most famous older Lincoln statues in
America. It was produced by Lorado Taft, an Illinois native born in 1860,
the year Lincoln was elected President. You can see a small copy on display
at the Lincoln tomb in Springfield.
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