Lincoln in Logan County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Lincoln Chautauqua
Lincoln, Illinois
The Lincoln Chautauqua was a popular educational movement from 1902 to 1937. When Chautauqua came to town, it brought speakers, teachers, musicians and entertainers of the day. The grounds had approximately 100 private cottages with lights, water and indoor plumbing. Attendees could also rent tents. The grounds were home to a post office, a women's building, dining hall and a Masonic headquarters. An expansive Auditorium that seated 4500 people was built by the Decatur Bridge Company in 1904 at a cost of $10,000. Speakers such as William Jennings Bryant and Billy Sunday often spoke in the Auditorium. By 1925 the Lincoln Chautauqua was the largest in Illinois. The last complete Lincoln Chautauqua was held in 1937.
Erected 2019 by Logan County Board of Realtors and Illinois Realtors.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1902.
Location. 40° 8.33′ N, 89° 23.805′ W. Marker is in Lincoln, Illinois, in Logan County. Marker is on Memorial Park Road south of 1520 Street, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located at the entrance of Lincoln Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1101 Memorial Park Rd, Lincoln IL 62656, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Kickapoo Town (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Kickapoo Town (approx. ¼ mile away); Vietnam War Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); The Mill on 66 (approx. 0.8 miles away); Roadside Attractions (approx. 0.8 miles away); Postville Park (approx. 0.9 miles away); Judge Davis and Lincoln at Deskins Inn (approx. one mile away); Deskins Tavern (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lincoln.
More about this marker. Marker was dedicated on January 14, 2019.
Also see . . . What is a Chautauqua?. New Old Time Chautauqua website entry (Submitted on November 19, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 19, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 4, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 301 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 4, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.