Step back in time on the beautiful Metamora town square, surrounding the Metamora Courthouse. The Courthouse is still in use today, much as it was when Abraham Lincoln traveled there as an 8th Judicial Circuit attorney. Metamora is also the hometown of Adlai E. Stevenson, U.S. Vice President under Grover Cleveland. Both Stevenson and Lincoln practiced law in the Courthouse here. Both the Courthouse and the Stevenson House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today – the town square is the site of many local celebration including bank concerts, dances and Civil War-era reenactments.
For more information:
- 8th Judicial Circuit
- Friends of Lincoln
- Good for Kids
- Guided/Self-Guided Tours
- Historic House
- Historic Site
- Lincoln-Douglas Debate
- Passport Site
- Route 66
- Top Destination
- Underground Railroad
- Visitor Information
- Wayside Exhibit
Metamora Courthouse State Historic Site
113 E Partridge St. Metamora, Illinois 61548
Built in 1845, this building served as the center of county government until the county seat was moved to Eureka in 1896. It is one of the two surviving courthouses on the historic 8th Judicial Circuit traveled by Abraham Lincoln.
The first floor of the two-story brick structure contains a central hall flanked by two exhibit rooms, one displaying artifacts of early local history, the other with exhibits describing the 1850s court system and Lincoln's life on the Eighth Judicial Circuit. On the second floor, the former courtroom and two small chambers are furnished to represent the era during which Lincoln practiced law.
Visitors may take guided tours of the building or view the rooms and exhibits on their own. A ten-minute video history of the building, which includes images and interpretation of the second floor, is available for viewing. The building’s first floor is accessible to persons with disabilities; the second floor is not.
The Circuit Lawyer
E. Partridge St. Metamora, Illinois 61548
Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibits tell the stories of Lincoln’s life and times in Illinois. Each wayside exhibit tells a unique Lincoln story and a local story. Many of the waysides share little known stories about Lincoln and the individuals he interacted with. There are over 260 Looking for Lincoln waysides in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.
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