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The Lincoln Hall Project « College of Liberal Arts & Sciences « University of Illinois


Lincoln Hall Project


Scenic Panels of Lincoln Hall

Ten scenic panels, mounted between the second and third floors facing the Quad, were designed by Kristian Schneider. The 3-foot by 9½-foot terra cotta panels were meant to convey the spirit of Lincoln as the “patient, conserving force of the man who stood strongly against public clamor for measures he believed to be right,” according to an April 1912 article in The Clay Worker that detailed the effort.

Grab the arrow below and scroll to the right to view the gallery of scenic panels.

rail splitter

Abraham Lincoln as a rail splitter on the banks of the Sangamon River.

rail splitter detail

Detail of Abraham Lincoln as a rail splitter on the banks of the Sangamon River.

slave auction

Abraham Lincoln witnesses a slave auction on the banks of the Mississippi River. There is dispute over whether he witnessed such an auction.

slave auction detail

Detail of Abraham Lincoln witnessing a slave auction on the banks of the Mississippi River.

pleas of a Revolutionary War widow

Abraham Lincoln as a lawyer listens to the pleas of a Revolutionary War widow who was defrauded by another lawyer.
According to the story, Lincoln took her case against her former lawyer and won it.

pleas of a Revolutionary War widow detail

Detail of Abraham Lincoln as a lawyer listening to the pleas of a Revolutionary War widow who was defrauded by another lawyer.

Lincoln-Douglas debate

The Lincoln-Douglas debate at Freeport, Ill.

Lincoln-Douglas debate detail

Detail of the Lincoln-Douglas debate at Freeport, Ill.

inaugural address

Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address.

inaugural address detail

Detail of Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address.

defend D.C.

The 24th Massachusetts regiment arrives to defend Washington, D.C. They were the first to respond to Lincoln’s call to defend the city against Confederate soldiers he could see across the Potomac River.

defend D.C. detail

Detail of the 24th Massachusetts regiment arriving to defend Washington, D.C.

rising sun

Abraham Lincoln points to the rising sun and gives hope to a slave family.

rising sun detail

Detail of Abraham Lincoln pointing to the rising sun and giving hope to a slave family.

Battle of Gettysburg

Abraham Lincoln at the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Battle of Gettysburg detail

Detail of Abraham Lincoln at the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg.

surrender

The Confederate surrender at Appomattox to end the Civil War. This is one of three scenic panels that do not portray Abraham Lincoln.

surrender detail

Detail of the Confederate surrender at Appomattox to end the Civil War.

soldier returns

A soldier returns home from the Civil War.

soldier returns

Detail of a soldier returning home from the Civil War.