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===19th century=== [[File:Statue of Abraham Lincoln on the site of his first political speech, downtown Decatur, IL.jpg|thumb|Statue of Abraham Lincoln in downtown Decatur on the site of his first political speech.]] The city is named after [[War of 1812]] naval hero [[Stephen Decatur]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Callary|first=Edward|title=Place Names of Illinois|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZvHgwa-XImcC&pg=PA89|date=September 29, 2008|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=978-0-252-09070-7|page=89}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Illinois Central Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3WI3AQAAMAAJ&pg=PT49|year=1922|publisher=Illinois Central Railroad Company|page=44}}</ref> The [[Potawatomi Trail of Death]] passed through the city in 1838. Post No. 1 of the [[Grand Army of the Republic]] was founded by Civil War veterans in Decatur on April 6, 1866. Decatur was the first home in Illinois of [[Abraham Lincoln]], who settled just west of Decatur with his family in 1830. At the age of 21, Lincoln gave his first political speech in Decatur about the importance of [[Sangamon River]] navigation, which caught the attention of Illinois political leaders.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} As a lawyer on the 8th Judicial Circuit, Lincoln made frequent stops in Decatur, and argued five cases in the log courthouse that stood on the corner of Main & Main Streets. The original courthouse is now on the grounds of the Macon County Historical Museum on North Fork Road.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Sheila |date=April 30, 2009 |title=Decatur original: Visitors can see log cabin courthouse where Lincoln practiced law |url=https://herald-review.com/special-section/news/outlook/decatur-original-visitors-can-see-log-cabin-courthouse-where-lincoln-practiced-law/article_96332b6e-c2c3-59a8-ba40-adb0e695b1e3.html |access-date=March 9, 2025 |work=Herald and Review}}</ref> [[John Hanks]], first cousin of Abraham Lincoln, lived in Decatur. On May 9 and 10, 1860, the [[Illinois Republican Party|Illinois Republican]] State Convention was held in Decatur. At this convention, Lincoln received his first endorsement for President of the United States as "The Railsplitter Candidate". In commemoration of Lincoln's bicentennial, the [[Illinois Republican Party|Illinois Republican]] State Convention was held in Decatur at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel on June 6 and 7, 2008.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ingram |first=Ron |title=Ties to Lincoln draw state GOP convention to Decatur |website=[[Herald & Review]] |location=Decatur, Illinois |date=July 14, 2007 |url=http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2007/07/14/news/local_news/1024970.txt}}</ref>
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