Tucked away in the heart of Mount Pleasant, the Harlan-Lincoln House stands as a significant piece of both local and national history. Built by Senator James Harlan, the home has deep connections to the Lincoln family, offering a glimpse into the past and preserving valuable artifacts linked to one of America’s most iconic leaders.
Now a museum since 1959, the house is home to several remarkable artifacts, including a piece of the coat collar that President Lincoln wore the night of his assassination. The majority of the coat remains on display at Ford’s Theatre Museum in Washington, D.C., but this fragment was gifted to the college by Mary Harlan Lincoln in the early 20th century.
Visitors can also explore original furnishings, personal items from the Robert Todd Lincoln family, and even a dollhouse that belonged to the Lincoln grandchildren.
Brown Bag Lecture Series Returns in April
Alongside its historical exhibits, the Harlan-Lincoln House will host the Brown Bag Lecture Series this April at the Belle Center, formerly the Chadwick Library. The lectures will take place in the room immediately to the right of the front entrance, beginning at noon on the first four Tuesdays of the month.
The lineup includes:
- April 1 – Paul Juhl, historian and author of Mount Pleasant Memories, will present “A Divine Legend: Madame Sarah Bernhardt and Rochester, Iowa.”
- April 8 – K. Weise, former director of the Burlington Public Library and current Burlington City Council member, will lead a genealogy workshop titled Who Do You Come From?
- April 15 – Dr. John Bamm Bennett, a local Lincoln historian, will discuss George Miller and the Trenton Henry County Institute of Science.
- April 22 – Darcy Mosby, an Iowa journalist and historian, will present Adventures Along the Lincoln Highway in Iowa.
All programs are free and open to the public, though donations are welcome.
Additionally, the Harlan-Lincoln House has resumed open hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m., offering guided tours for visitors.
For those interested in local and national history, the Harlan-Lincoln House remains a treasured landmark, keeping the Lincoln family’s legacy alive in Mount Pleasant.