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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Friday, September 18, 2009 10:24 PM CDT
Motorcyclists to follow Lincoln's ride through Shelby, Moultrie counties

By SHEILA SMITH, Staff Writer

SHELBYVILLE — Motorcyclists and Lincoln enthusiasts will be following the trail of Lincoln on Sunday.

It’s the last leg of the Lincoln Circuit Ride for those who will travel the same route as Abraham Lincoln did through Central Illinois as part of the 8th Judicial Circuit.

“It’s interesting to find those creeks where Lincoln had to take his clothes off to cross with his horse,” said Rich Amling of Pana, who has participated in the circuit ride for the past four years.

He noted that he could see some of the depression in the ground that marked the route from Lovington up to Franklin Street in Decatur, which is now a wooded area between Franklin Street and Mount Zion.

“People don’t have a clue that Lincoln traveled through these areas, he added.

Amling said he has always been interested in the history of Route 66 and old stagecoach roads. The history buff jumped on the chance to travel on the circuit ride that was started by George Tinkham four years ago.

Tinkham, an attorney in Springfield, said he decided to divide the more than 500-mile circuit ride into four legs this year.

The first leg of the ride took place April 26, the second one June 14 and the third leg July 12.

This final leg Sunday will have riders meeting at the Shelby County Courthouse in Shelbyville and head to Sullivan, stopping at the historic Moultrie /Macon County line marker and then into Decatur. The group will leave Decatur and stop at other county line markers on the way to Mount Auburn and ending in Taylorville.

“I think this last leg of Lincoln’s trip is neat because we will be going to the original courthouses where Lincoln practiced in Decatur and Taylorville,” Tinkham said. “People can go through the courthouse and get a feel of history of what it was like 160 years ago.”

Tinkham also hopes to collect donations to give to the Daughters of the American Revolution to replace and for the upkeep of some of the historic markers placed in counties that mark Lincoln’s journeys.

sheilas@herald-review.com|421-7963.

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