The Thomas Memorial Collection

The Thomas Memorial Collection contains material related to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.

Included in this collection are more than 2,700 volumes as well as authentic photos concerning Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. A $10 check signed by Lincoln is also part of the collection and has been included in The Papers of Abraham Lincoln project. Other interesting materials include a piece of oak from the floor of Lincoln’s Springfield law office, a gavel made from a tree planted by Lincoln, and a section of his original marble sarcophagus. Several oil portraits of Lincoln also make up this collection.

Dr. Vernon L. Thomas, along with Dr. Russell C. Slater and John W. Fling, Jr., contributed books, photos, periodicals, and other memorabilia concerning Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. The collection was opened to the public on July 4, 1976.