Decatur connects with Lincoln: In a downtown Wigwam, he began his presidential bid

The Wigwam was located in what is now a parking lot just to the east of Busey Bank across from Central Park. Today, it is marked with a plaque, one of many sites in Decatur that were part of Lincoln's life that people pass by every day, sometimes not aware of the history of the ground on which they tread.

Since the site is now on Busey Bank's property, it was deemed not feasible to erect a replica of it for the 200th anniversary, Bauer said. Instead, it has been suitably marked by four bronzes created by Decatur artist John McClarey, which will be one part of 15 wayside exhibits to mark the yearlong Lincoln birthday celebration.

Reports of the convention indicate Lincoln was overwhelmed by the reception he received when his name was thundered to the gathering by a young Decatur lawyer named Richard J. Oglesby.

Oglesby, a Lincoln friend and later three-term governor of Illinois, devised a masterful plan to put forth Lincoln's name at the temporary tent-style structure erected to hold the state delegation.

In fact, the structure was so limited spacewise that it was barely able to contain all the delegates and other party enthusiasts. It was so crowded that when it came time for Lincoln to make his dramatic entrance from the rear of the structure it was impossible to clear an aisle for him to reach the front.

A couple of the men had the idea of hoisting him up over the crowd, and those along his route literally passed him hand by hand to the front, where he greeted the wildly cheering throng and took his first steps toward the presidency.

The convention was marked by Oglesby's masterful plan to have the candidate be known as "Lincoln, the Railsplitter." It proved to be an ingenious move as the campaign slogan captured the imagination of voters throughout the nation, igniting a political wildfire that swept Lincoln into the White House.

Because of the historical importance of the convention and Lincoln's subsequent impact on the Civil War and the legendary status Lincoln attained as the "Great Emancipator," noted historian Kim Bauer, the city of Decatur's Lincoln heritage director, said the Wigwam and the 1860 convention rank among the top Lincoln attractions in the state.

As a result, it is being given extra attention during the events planned by Bauer, retained by the city of Decatur to plan a schedule of observances in the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth this year.

"Decatur has an abundance of connections to Lincoln. Outside of Springfield, Decatur is the second most important city in the state in terms of Lincoln heritage. The Wigwam is at the top of the list," Bauer said.

A bronze Wigwam bas relief by Anthony Vestuto was dedicated in 1970 at the convention site in the 100 block of South Park Street on the south side of Central Park.