The Rail Splitter
Posted by: 
TravisGood
N 39° 49.867 W 089° 38.400
16S E 274081 N 4412348
This 30-foot statue of a young beardless Lincoln with axe in-hand is found inside the State Fair Grounds in Springfield, IL.
Waymark Code: WM1AVD
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 03/18/2007
Views: 62
It's hyperbole to say that everything in Springfield is about Abraham Lincoln but sometimes it feels like it. They have every reason to feel proud that our 16th President came from Springfield but WOW there's a lot to see of Lincoln. In this case it's 30-feet of him.
This statue was built by Carl W. Rinnus in 1967 and is entitled "Thee Rail Splitter". He can be found in front of the Illinois Exhibits building on the left as you enter Gate 1 of the State Fair Grounds. He stands with an axe in hand, looking young and tall, and ready to chop!
What struck me about this statue was how different it was from the way most of us think of Abraham Lincoln. No, he didn't stand 30-feet tall but that's obviously not what I mean. We envision Lincoln older, with a beard, in a suit, and rarely smiling. This is a different Lincoln, by design, and its effective at conveying another side of one of our most revered Presidents.