Commemoration

President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln

The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln and the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War (1861-1865). The nation's bloodiest conflict, the Civil War, which followed the secession of southern states, was the supreme test of the durability of the Union created by the founding fathers.

Lincoln's stewardship of the Union cause contributed to the final victory of the Union and the abolishment of slavery in the United States. These victories earned him the sobriquets of "Savior of the Union." Lincoln was assassinated while attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. For many he then became a martyr to the causes of union and emancipation.

In 1911, Congress authorized the building of the Lincoln Memorial on the undeveloped west end of the Mall. Construction took place between 1914 and 1922. President Warren G. Harding attended the 1922 dedication. In 1933, the Lincoln Memorial was transferred to the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.

The links below will take you to other NPS units which contain additional information regarding this historical theme. Following that are links to related materials, which will provide more detailed Web sites that discuss selected aspects of this historical theme.

National Park Service units

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