The N.C. Lincoln Birth Story

The N.C. Lincoln Birth Story. . Some history records that President Abraham Lincoln was born in a one-room cabin in Kentucky. However, N.C. research historians and generational stories hold that Lincoln was born on Puzzle Creek, near Bostic, North Carolina, and that his father was not Thomas Lincoln, but Abraham Enloe, a farmer who employed Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks. , The plantation of Abraham Enloe was about two miles northeast of this point. The story goes that young woman, Nancy Hanks, had been bound out to the Enloes by her mother, and in February, 1805, while on the plantation, gave birth to a boy whom she named Abraham. , Enloe arranged for Nancy to marry Thomas Lincoln, an itinerant worker, sealing the deal with cash, a team and wagon. Records show that Nancy and Thomas were married in Kentucky, and the presiding Deacon's account was of the young boy's presence at the ceremony. , The Enloe plantation was prestigious in contrast to the small subsistence farms surrounding it. The rich, watered bottomland provided well for the Enloe family, and the farm offered employment for many others. , Learn more about Lincoln's North Carolina origins here at the Bostic Lincoln Center. ,

The North Carolina mountains and foothills were designated the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in recognition of their natural beauty and living traditions of music, craft, agriculture, and Cherokee culture. This location is part of a regional trail of distinctive heritage sites. Ask for information at area visitor centers.

[Captions (left to right)] , . Commemoration of Abraham Lincoln birth site on October 30, 1926 for the publishing of “Abraham Lincoln: A North Carolinian” by J.C. Coggins, Ph.D., LLO. , . Left: Interior view of Bostic Lincoln Center museum with period costuming. , . Right: Visitation of Lincoln birth site is by appointment only.