Abraham Lincoln

Subject

Abraham Lincoln

Artist

George Fite Waters

Materials

Bronze, Granite

Installation Date

1927

Acquisition Context

Presented to the city by Dr. Henry Waldo Coe

Where was it originally located?

South Park Blocks

Was there engagement when it was created?

No

What happened to it?

The monument was toppled October 11, 2020, and later sent for repairs in November 2024. Repairs were completed August 2025. The monument is currently being prepared for reinstallation in the South Park Blocks with the addition of new interpretive signage. (Anticipated Winter/Spring 2026).

Representative feedback from public comments, testimony and City-led public conversations

“As for the statue of Lincoln, I do believe it is inappropriate to remove this work which arguably commemorates one of America's greatest leaders and who is perhaps associated with "racial injustice" and "social change" on a scale that dwarfs any other figure in American history. Lincoln singularly represents the greatest upheaval in America's history and led the nation to reimagine and reinvent itself. Yet, perhaps the presence of Lincoln should be re-contextualized beside another historic American figure which both compliments and challenges everything Lincoln represents. I recommend a new commission of a monument of Sacajawea (the Agai-Dika, Lemhi-Shoshone woman who was crucial to the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition), an Indigenous woman significant to the nation but also the region of the Northwest.”

“Abraham Lincoln had a huge role in ending slavery and moving this country forward in addressing racial injustices. Lincoln was by no means perfect, but it is wrong to dismiss him as not measuring up to current equity standards, ignoring historic context and his many dimensions. This is an arrogance of hindsight. I am a person of color and am committed to racial equity, but I am ashamed of RACC's decision to not return the Lincoln and Roosevelt statues to their historic locations, especially without clear opportunities for public input. This is Abraham Lincoln for God's sake, not some Confederate general. Please do work toward adding to the histories and heritages that are celebrated in our public art (we certainly need much more acknowledgement of our first peoples), but this doesn't mean we need to remove statues of people who are such important parts of our history, such as Lincoln.” 

Status

Conservation and repairs were completed August 2025. The monument is currently being prepared for reinstallation in the South Park Blocks with the addition of new interpretive signage featuring a QR code where visitors can learn more about Lincoln and the history of this monument. The original plinth will be seismically updated, as well as the pinning mechanism for the sculpture. The installation is currently planned for Spring 2027. Additional public engagement on interpretations occurred during the 2024 Monuments Symposium.