Following in Lincoln's Footsteps: A Complete Annotated Reference to Hundreds of Historical Sites Visited by Abraham Lincoln (Illinois) (Hardcover)

by Ralph Gary (Author) "Abraham Lincoln made a trip down the Mississippi River from Indiana with Jefferson Ray in 1826 to sell his father's produce, at least according to..." (more)
Key Phrases: inaugural train, birthplace cabin, insanity trial, White House, Civil War, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Where exactly is the home in Springfield, Illinois, that Abraham Lincoln made up with Mary Todd following a spat before their marriage? Where was Lincoln when he jumped out of a window to avoid a quorum call in the Illinois General Assembly? From his law offices to the Oval Office, from where he shopped for clothes to where he first heard the news of Robert E. Lee's surrender, this unprecedented volume answers dozens of questions about the life of the sixteenth president and sifts for the truth in disputes that rage among Lincoln scholars and hobbyists. As a longtime member of notable Lincoln societies, Ralph Gary has scoured county courthouse records and pored over the writings of Lincoln's contemporaries, and thousands of other books written on Lincoln's life, to compile the most complete and up-to-date guide to Lincoln historical sites ever published. With detailed maps and even diagrams of the buildings he called home, this book allows Lincoln enthusiasts and Civil War buffs to walk in the long footsteps of the sixteenth president. Ralph Gary's unique volume concludes with fascinating appendices that illuminate surprising similarities between the lives of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis; between Lincoln and John F. Kennedy; even between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee.

From the Back Cover
"Ralph Gary's guide to all of the sites relating to Abraham Lincoln is by far the most comprehensive and useful guide for those who study Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. I know this to be true as I have used it in preparing for a tour of Lincoln sites in Illinois. It is well-researched, beautifully written, and a much needed reference work in the field of Lincoln studies." --Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice Frank J. Williams, Chair, The Lincoln Forum

"Far more than a mere guidebook to historic sites, Ralph Gary's exhaustively researched volume is a captivating biography of Lincoln, taking him from Kentucky to Indiana to Illinois to Washington and vividly reminding readers of all the towns and cities he visited, even briefly, along the way. Engagingly written and well organized, the book belongs in the glove compartment or bookshelf of every Lincoln enthusiast who wants either a map of Lincoln's path through life, or a delightful review of the way he lived it." --Harold Holzer, Co-Chair, U. S. Lincoln Bicentennial Commision and auhtor of DEAR MR. LINCOLN

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 468 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; annotated edition edition (October 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786709413
• ISBN-13: 978-0786709410
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,813,557 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lincoln Was Here, May 28, 2006

By	Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Following in Lincoln's Footsteps: A Complete Annotated Reference to Hundreds of Historical Sites Visited by Abraham Lincoln (Paperback)

Here's an interesting and hefty travel book that lists and annotates sites from all over the country associated with Abraham Lincoln and/or his family in some way. Arranged by city or town within each state, Gary describes places where Lincoln made speeches, stayed over night or for extended periods, went shopping, attended concerts and theatre events, resided, went to school, and a myriad of other events too numerous to list. Gary also lists Civil War sites that played important roles during his presidency. The number of sites detailed is impressive (many hundreds easily), and fortunately there's an excellent index listing them all. With all that, I noticed one site here in NJ that he overlooked: the burial spot near Allentown of Lincoln's great-great grandparents' three-year-old child, Deborah Lincoln. Granted, it's not a major site by any means, but neither are a lot of the other places in Gary's book, and there's a roadside monument marking it to boot. Lincoln aficionados should find this book fascinating, especially as they plot out all the excursions they'd like to take from Vermont to Louisiana checking out the sites. But even if you don't leave the house the book is loaded with interesting tidbits regarding Lincoln, his life and legacy. Recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More,more,more......, March 19, 2005

By	Karen C. Fitch "K. C. ( avid reader)" (Loganville, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Following in Lincoln's Footsteps: A Complete Annotated Reference to Hundreds of Historical Sites Visited by Abraham Lincoln (Illinois) (Paperback)

You know, as I travel around I am always wondering about the history of an area and, "could this be more than just a field?"

That crumbling old house along a major route, "did something important to history occur inside?"

Ralph Gary must have spent thousands of hours researching and traveling around areas to discover all of the "who, what, when, where and whys" of Abraham Lincoln and his environment.

This book has just the information the traveler needs to understand and "see" history unfold before his eyes.

That old field suddenly comes to life as a thunderous battlefield with rain pouring down and famous phrases echoing loudly in the viewer's ears.

We see the fury of the instant as a theatre turns into a haunted moment in time; and everyone who visits Ford's Theatre feels the morbid moment of Booth's derringer into the President's unassuming head as he gently cups his wife's hand in his - and, in that moment, history changed.

Thank you so much Mr. Gary. Please, please, research other historical figures and bring us that "sight" that can only be had from reading about the moments in time that have become our
history!