Union Township near Valparaiso in Porter County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Lincoln's Funeral Train
Indiana 1865
Photographed by Daniel Barriball, February 21, 2026
1. Lincoln's Funeral Train Marker
President Abraham Lincoln met an assassin's bullet on April 14, 1865. He made his final journey by train, as his remains were carried more than 1,600 miles from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, Illinois, for burial. Mourners lined the train's route.
Richmond, Indiana, April 30, 1865, 3:10 A.M.A Nation Mourns
"The scene here was not only imposing but magnificently solemn. From twelve to fifteen thousand people were assembled." Wayne County Soldiers' Registry, 1865
For 13 days, Lincoln's funeral train moved slowly through cities, small towns and rural areas. The casket rode in a plush Pullman car that had been built that year for the President's official business. The nine-car train also carried 300 mourners and officials plus 29 Honor Guards.
(Photo caption) This is the only known photo of President Lincoln's remains lying in state. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered all such photos destroyed, but secretly saved this one. The photo was lost for years, but was rediscovered in 1952 by a 14-year-old Lincoln scholar.
What special decorations do you see on the funeral cars and arch?
(captions)
Map: Funeral train route and stops
Right: Michigan City, Indiana, May 1, 1865
this page online
Erected 2011 by Taltree Arboretum & Gardens.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is April 14, 1865.
Location. 41° 26.699′ N, 87° 8.961′ W. Marker is near Valparaiso, Indiana, in Porter County. It is in Union Township. It can be reached from West 100 North half a mile east of North 500 West, on the right when traveling east. This marker is part of the Railway Garden in Gabis Arboretum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 450 W 100 N, Valparaiso IN 46385, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, and in the Corn Belt. 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 Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Civil War (a few steps from this marker); Building the Railroad (a few steps from this marker); Logging (a few steps from this marker); A Changing Land (a few steps from this marker); City Center (a few steps from this marker); Coal Mine (within shouting distance of this marker); Limestone Quarry (within shouting distance of this marker); Small Town Life (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Valparaiso.
More about this marker. Taltree Arboretum was renamed Gabis Arboretum after it was acquired by Purdue University Northwest in 2018.
Also see . . . Railway Garden
Photographed by Daniel Barriball, February 21, 2026
2. Lincoln's Funeral Train Marker in context
The Railway Garden spans two full acres and tells amazing stories of American railroads in the context of a large display garden using G-gauge miniature trains.(Submitted on February 23, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 23, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. This page has been viewed 41 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 23, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
