The Friends of the Lincoln Collection of Indiana, Inc. is the 501(c)(3) organization that supports the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection curated both in Indianapolis at the Indiana State Museum & Historic Sites and in Fort Wayne at the Allen County Public Library. Activities of the Friends include: publication of Lincoln Lore; outreach to schools through onsite and offsite education programs; a Lincoln Essay Contest for high school students; a Lincoln Art Contest for elementary and middle school students; public programs at both the Indiana State Museum & Historic Sites and the Allen County Public Library; funding for new acquisitions and preservation of the Collection at both sites; and responsibility for this website.
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The Rolland Center
The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection and the Friends of the Lincoln Collection opened the Rolland Center for Lincoln Research in January 2022 at the Allen County Public Library. The Center provides a space to explore the Lincoln Collection through a variety of physical displays, digital kiosks, and even a projection room that shows collection items in 180 degrees.
Learn MoreLatest News 01.21.26
Illustrating Self-Emancipation
A new free temporary exhibit explores how two illustrated magazines from the 1860s covered an often-overlooked aspect of the Civil War: the self-emancipation of enslaved Americans. Visit the Rolland Center for Lincoln Research from January 20, 2026, through March 24, 2026, to view selections from these popular nineteenth-century publications.
Next Event 12.10.25
Virtual Program – Linking Lincoln: Women of the 19th Century
Join us for an exploration of women’s evolving roles in the nineteenth century. This free program will be held on Zoom at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, December 10, 2025!
On Display Now
Lincoln Collection Items
The Rolland Center for Lincoln Research exhibit is available for public viewing during the Allen County Public Library open hours.
Latest Lore 01.12.26
A New Letter from William H. Herndon to Abraham Lincoln
A New Letter from William H. Herndon to Abraham Lincoln by Jonathan W. White [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="845"] Telegram from Lincoln to Herndon, February 19, 1863. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum)[/caption] On September 6, 1883, the Illinois State Journal ran an article describing how Lincoln’s third ...
