Lincoln's Tomb

The final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, and three of their four sons. This state historic site has been a destination since Lincoln's body arrived on May 3, 1865. Over a century of legends surround the tomb.

Lincoln's Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield is the final resting place of President Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of their four sons: Edward, William, and Thomas ("Tad"). Their eldest son Robert is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The 117-foot granite obelisk, erected in 1874, has become one of Illinois' most visited historic sites—and one of its most haunted.

Sightings of Lincoln's ghost began almost immediately after his body arrived in Springfield on May 3, 1865, following a funeral train journey that became its own supernatural legend. During the years-long construction of the permanent tomb, workers and visitors first reported seeing a spectral Abraham Lincoln wandering near the temporary crypt.

Due to attempted theft—in 1876, Secret Service agents hiding within the monument grounds stopped thieves trying to steal Lincoln's body for ransom—and major reconstruction projects, Lincoln's remains were uprooted and moved numerous times over the decades. This disturbance of his rest may explain why his spirit seems unable to find peace.

Visitors and staff at Oak Ridge Cemetery report uncomfortable feelings, phantom footsteps, whispers, muffled voices, and the sound of weeping near the tomb. A tall, shadowy figure believed to be Lincoln himself has been seen silently watching over his memorial. The apparitions of a small boy and a mysterious woman in a flowing red cape have also been documented on the grounds.

Perhaps the most haunting legend involves the phantom funeral train. Each April on the anniversary of Lincoln's death, the ghostly train is said to ride the same tracks that bore his body from Washington to Springfield in 1865, its mournful whistle echoing across the Illinois prairie.

The Old State Capitol building in downtown Springfield, where Lincoln delivered his famous "House Divided" speech, has also reported his ghost—witnesses describe his tall, lanky figure and the distinctive outline of his stovepipe hat moving through the historic halls.

The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency maintains the tomb, though official sources deny any paranormal activity.