Lincoln's Chair in Old Main
In Knox College's Old Main building, the Lincoln Chair resides in the Alumni Room. This wooden chair holds a great amount of significance to the Knox community, as well as Galesburg itself. Not only did President Abraham Lincoln sit in it after his debate with Stephen Douglas on October 7th, 1858, but many other important icons have sat there as well. These people include former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and many other politicians and celebrities. Lincoln's Chair helps connect this small Illinois town to the United States' history and present by building connections to various important people from throughout U.S. history. Lincoln's influence can be found throughout Galesburg, especially on Knox's campus. With Lincoln's Chair residing in the same building where people work and take classes, it helps prove that history lives everywhere. The Chair symbolizes PresidentLincoln's impact on Knox College and the college's role in history. Old Main was the site for the fifth Lincoln-Douglas debate, which cements its place in history as part of Lincoln's path to his presidency. Not only that, but at the time of the debate, Knox had already deemed slavery to be an immoral practice. With this in mind, Knox College now acted as one of the first steps towards the emancipation of slaves, in addition to the role it had in Abraham Lincoln's Presidency. By having Lincoln's Chair remain in Galesburg, it reminds us about how we still play roles in the history of our country, as well as the future it will bring.