Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – People around the world now have access to high-resolution photos showing Abraham Lincoln’s life and his legacy. “Picturing Lincoln” is a new project by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum that expands accessibility to many photos that have never been online before.

The first batch of images includes:

  • 129 pictures of Lincoln
  • 178 of Lincoln’s Tomb, including some of Lincoln’s coffin when it was unearthed during a construction project
  • Rare pictures of Lincoln’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren
  • Photos of Robert Lincoln, his hobbies and his homes
  • Dozens of photos related to Lincoln’s assassination, funeral and the execution of the conspirators who plotted his death.

“Abraham Lincoln’s legacy belongs to the world, so the whole world should be able to see these images. They show the highs and lows of President Lincoln’s life, remind us of the nation’s deep mourning at his death, and give us a glimpse into the lives of descendants he would never see,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “I am incredibly proud of the ALPLM team.”

The 600 dpi images are available at www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov/PicturingLincoln. The project was made possible by a $100,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, funded through the Illinois State Library.

The images are hosted by the Illinois Digital Archives, which is operated by the Illinois Secretary of State.

“Making these photos available to people around the world is one benefit of this project,” said Kelsey Wise, an ALPLM AV librarian. “Another is that we are creating high-quality ‘digital surrogates’ that can be examined without risking any damage to the delicate originals. It also will reduce library staff time devoted to providing images to visiting historians or emailing them to people elsewhere.”

The ALPLM expects thousands of additional Lincoln-related pictures, posters and paintings to be added to the online collection in the coming months.