Near Springfield in Washington County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Housekeeping Cabin & Lincoln Spring

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 16, 2024

1. Housekeeping Cabin & Lincoln Spring Marker

Inscription. Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks took up housekeeping here on September 21, 1805. Built about 1780 by Richard Berry, Sr., the cabin provided temporary lodging when Berry acquired 600 acres at Beechland.

Thomas and Nancy's first child, Nancy, died in infancy and is buried near the cabin site. Thomas and Nancy were officially married by Jesse Head in the nearby Francis Berry cabin on June 12, 1806.

While Thomas and Nancy lived at Mill Creek, Hardin County, Kentucky at the time of the birth of their second child, Sarah, they returned to Beechland where Abraham was born, February 12, 1809. The family lived in this cabin until Abraham was 18 months old at which time they moved to Hardin County. A nearby neighbor, William Hardesty, gave a sworn account of having been hired by Thomas Lincoln to stay with Nancy and the children during Thomas' frequent absences. About 1911, the dilapidated cabin, owned by W.A. Clements, was dismantled and donated to the Harrodsburg Historical Society where it now sits inside a monument at Old Fort Harrod State Park. Latitude: 37.77236, Longitude: -85.19524

Donated by Donald L. and Vicki Ensor

Erected by The

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Lincoln Foundation of Washington County, Kentucky.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 21, 1805.

Location. 37° 46.338′ N, 85° 11.705′ W. Marker is near Springfield, Kentucky, in Washington County. It is on Beechland Road (Kentucky Route 438) ¼ mile north of Berry Mill Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1883 Beechland Rd, Springfield KY 40069, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s The Knobs.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Captain Abraham Lincoln, Sr. (approx.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 16, 2024

2. Housekeeping Cabin & Lincoln Spring Marker

one mile away); Lincoln Homestead State Park (approx. 1.3 miles away); a different marker also named Lincoln Homestead State Park (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Nancy Hanks Memorial (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Berry Cabin (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Lincoln Cabin (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Lincolns Move West (approx. 1.3 miles away); Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Springfield.

Regarding Housekeeping Cabin & Lincoln Spring. Most historians, as well as the National Park Service, contend that Abraham Lincoln was born at Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville in LaRue County, Ky.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 9, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 189 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 9, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.