VIRDEN, Ill. — A central Illinois family is rebuilding after a tree that traces back to Abraham Lincoln's funeral fell onto their Civil War-era home.
According to local historian John Alexander, the town of Virden, Illinois in particular houses a lot of history.
“A mine battle was fought here in 1898,” Alexander said. “Lincoln visited nearly everywhere in central Illinois. He came through Virden several times.”
For the last 158 years, nothing had deeper roots in Virden than the Lincoln Tree.
“That tree dates back to Lincoln’s burial at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield in May of 1865,” Alexander said. “A young woman and her mother decided to attend the funeral at Oak Ridge and decided to bring home with them an acorn.”
In 1976, the tree was added to the town flag and it is featured prominently in a mural downtown.
“It became famous not only in Virden, but worldwide,” Alexander said. “In 2000, the International Oak Society made a special trip to see it.”
“We used to take trips here when I was a kid in school,” David Adcock said.
After more than a century of standing tall over the town, the tree toppled down on David Adcock’s home, which was built by a Union Colonel in 1863.
“My phone just kept going and going and going and I finally answered, and I said, ‘What? It’s late,’” Adcock said. “He said look out the window!”
“It was a shock really to the entire town that the tree toppled over of apparently old age,” Alexander said.
As Adcock begins rebuilding his home his biggest challenge has been finding someone that can remove and haul away the remains of a 90ft oak that’s at least 18ft around.
“A gentleman here in town took some to make some benches for the local library,” Adcock said. “I’ve got a very long list of people who want a piece just for the history.”
The Lincoln Tree’s story doesn’t end with its collapse.
Thanks to a little foresight from the community, saplings from the tree have been planted around the town and its history will live on for generations to come.
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