Franklin County Courthouse Receives Famous Lincoln Portrait

A high-quality reproduction of a famous Abraham Lincoln photograph was presented during a ceremony Friday, August 24, 2018, at the Franklin County Courthouse.

The photograph was taken in Springfield by well-known photographer Alexander Hesler on June 3, 1860, for Lincoln’s 1860 presidential campaign. Printed on canvas, the image of the beardless Lincoln is encased in a richly stained wood frame and measures 30-inches wide by 40-inches tall.

The permanent installation is made possible by donations from the Illinois Judges Association (IJA), the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) and their respective foundations – the Illinois Judges Foundation and the Illinois Bar Foundation. 

The four organizations are partnering with the Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS), which owns the glass-plate positives of the Hesler-Lincoln portrait. 

Tom Tedeschi, chief judge of the 2nd Judicial Circuit, presided over the ceremony. ISBA was represented by 2nd Vice President Dennis Orsey.