The only replica ever authorized by sculpture Adolph Alexander Wienman.
Original was made in 1906 for Lincoln's birthplace, Hodgenville KY.
Placed on the hill in 1909, moved up the hill and a terrace built
around it in 1918.
Several Universities bid for the replica ($25,000 by the University of
Nebraska, nearly the cost to build Birge Hall at that time).
Richard Lloyd Jones (First cousin of
Frank Lloyd Wright),
who had been instrumental in creating the Abraham Lincoln
Birthplace National Historic Site, convinced Weinman to refused the
high bid and donate the replica to UW.
Thomas Brittingham, paid for casting the statue and the
pedestal on which it was placed.
Abe Lincoln, is considered a patron of the university because he
signed the Morrill Act in 1862 to provide federal aid to land-grant
colleges like UW-Madison. federal land-grant legislation allowed state
universities to grow and thrive, while allowing more students from all
economic walks of life access to higher education.
In 1999 the statue underwent a thorough restoration and cleaning.
UW grads are knows to have a
picture taken on Lincolns lap.
