In 1915 The Illinois General Assembly directed the State Historical Library to mark the routes that Lincoln traveled from Kentucky and Indiana into Illinois. Fast forward fifty years when the American Petroleum Institute pushed the idea as a way to get people to take road trips. The copper colored signs were put up all over Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and Central Illinois mostly near significant Lincoln sites.

The route is mostly forgotten and the Red Rooster decided to bring it back in a different way. Taking the Kentucky Bourbon trail and the Southern Illinois Beer trail as an inspiration we’re seeking to link sites along the original Lincoln Heritage trail with craft breweries, distilleries, and wineries along the way.

For now the trail will extend from New Salem/Petersburg through Springfield, Hillsboro, and stop at Vandalia with possible extensions of the trail in the future, especially into the Southern Indiana area.