Fairlane in Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Lincoln's Promise
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2026
1. Lincoln's Promise Marker
On March 3, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation establishing the National Asylum for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers to care for and rehabilitate surviving veterans of the Civil War. This organization was the first national health care and benefits program in the United States. The "Dayton Soldiers Home" quickly became a self-sustaining community, serving more than 7,000 veterans in 1867. Today, President Lincoln's legacy lives on as the Dayton Veteran Affairs Medical Center, providing medical care for more than 40,000 veterans each year.
The American Veterans Heritage Center and Lincoln Society of Dayton commissioned sculptor Michael Major to create the Lincoln's Promise statue as a gift to the Department of Veterans Affairs. This gift was funded through donations made by individuals, businesses and civic groups interested in fulfilling the promise to care for those who have served in our military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.
"We are grateful to the volunteers, Glenn Costie, Kimberly Frisco, Brian Inderrieden, Daniel Kugel, Robert Neff, and Regina Payne for their years of hard work and dedication accomplishing this Abraham Lincoln Memorial."
~ William E. DeFries, President and Statue Committee Chairman,
American Veterans Heritage Center
this page online
Erected 2024 by American Veterans Heritage Center.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln series list. A significant historical date for this entry is March 3, 1865.
Location. 39° 44.553′ N, 84° 15.491′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in Fairlane. It is at the intersection of Kentucky Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Kentucky Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4100 W Third St, Dayton OH 45428, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest 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 Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dayton VA Medical Center (a few steps from this marker); Patient Library (Building 121) (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memoriam (within shouting distance of this marker); The Protestant Chapel (Building 118) (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Bandstand (Building 113) (about 400 feet away); The Grotto (about 500 feet away); Catholic Chapel (Building 119) (about 500 feet away); Centennial Commemoration of the End of the Great War (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2026
2. Lincoln's Promise Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2026
3. Lincoln's Promise Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2026
4. Lincoln's Promise Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2026
5. Lincoln's Promise Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2026
6. Lincoln's Promise Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 12, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 12 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 12, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
