A Lincoln Museum in Redlands, CA
Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Sunday, January 18
State Holiday – Tuesday, March 31
Easter – Sunday, April 5
Juneteenth – Friday, June 19
Independence Day – Friday, July 3 – Saturday, July 4
Labor Day – Sunday, September 6
Christopher Columbus Day – Sunday, October 11
Veterans Day – Wednesday, November 11
Thanksgiving – Thursday, November 26 – Sunday, November 29
Christmas – Thursday, December 24 – Friday, December 25
New Year’s – Thursday, December 31 – Friday, January 1, 2026
Don’t miss the anniversary event for the Lincoln Memorial Shrine’s reproduction cannon on Saturday, August 29 at 10am in Smiley Park, between the Shrine and A.K. Smiley Public Library. The cannon will come to life once again at this year’s celebratory program, which will include a brief introduction to the use of artillery during the Civil War by members of the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artiller and an appearance by President Abraham Lincoln presenter Robert Broski.
Following the presentation, attendees will have opportunities to explore exhibits commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Visit the Lincoln Shrine to see
“…That All Men Are Created Equal: Slavery in America” and “Becoming the United States: Colonial America to Reconstruction.” You can also visit Smiley Library’s temporary exhibit, “American Revolution Experience,” available in the Assembly Room.
This event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. Large umbrellas are discouraged. For more information, call the Heritage Room at (909)798-7632. Event subject to change.
The Watchorn Lincoln Memorial Association invites you to join us for Liberty’s Legacy: Celebrating 250 Years of Independence, a program that commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Taking place on September 29 and 30, this two-day program will include a keynote address by noted historian Jon Meacham and a symposium featuring scholars discussing the significance of the Declaration of Independence to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.
OPEN HOUSE
Since 1972, the Lincoln Shrine has honored Lincoln and the Civil War with an annual Open House. Featuring Civil War re-enactors, live music, activities, and much more, the Open House is an event not to be missed! Take a look back at photographs and videos from the Lincoln Shrine Open House in years past. See the Open House photo album to relive old memories or see what you can expect.
LINCOLN DINNER
Starting in 1932, the annual Watchorn Lincoln Dinner has celebrated the anniversary of Lincoln’s birth each year. The largest event of its kind in the United States today, the Lincoln Dinner has featured presentations from dozens of scholars whose work has honored Lincoln’s legacy. In recent years, the event has also included sponsorship opportunities that have raised thousands of dollars for the institution and allowed for the purchase of exceptional items for the Shrine’s collections. Explore the items acquired through the Lincoln Dinner Sponsorship Fund.
On February 12, 2022, the Shrine’s 90th anniversary was feted with a unique Lincoln Dinner. Nearly 200 revelers celebrated the momentous occasion with live music and the premier of “Enduring Legacies: The Lincoln Shrine at 90,” a special documentary produced for the event. The evening concluded with spectacular fireworks presentation! The Lincoln Memorial Shrine thanks the evening’s underwriters Watchorn Lincoln Memorial Association Trustees Bill Hatfield and Dr. Christopher Walker.
If you missed the 90th Lincoln Dinner, or would like to watch the documentary again, visit the Special Collections YouTube Channel.
Thanks to the generosity of the Nies family of Redlands, the Lincoln Shrine now stewards a reproduction Model 1857 Napoleon 12-pounder field gun dated 1864.
The dedication ceremony included the participation of Civil War reenactors and featured an artillery demonstration by the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery who instructed donor Dr. Boyd Nies as he fired the inaugural shot.
Come and see the cannon in person in Smiley Park. It’s the perfect selfie location! Make sure to tag @lincolnshine and use the hashtag #lincolnshrine to share your photos.
Learn more about the M1857 Napoleon 12-Pounder.
From its very founding, the United States had a precarious relationship with freedom. While the Declaration of Independence clearly stated that “all men are created equal”, the actual practice of enslaving people tested whether, in practice, that ideal could ever be a reality. Enslavement was the single most divisive issue of the early republic. When Southern states perceived that Abraham Lincoln’s election threatened what they believed was their “right” to enslave others, those states attempted to break the bonds of the United States to each other. The result was civil war, with some 800,000 or more Americans perishing.
President Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all enslaved people located within states in rebellion against the United States “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”
Before that, some enslaved people had already found ways to emancipate themselves, with groups like the Underground Railroad, by finding a detachment of the United States Army, or simply fleeing those who enslaved them and making it successfully to a free state. As the United States Army liberated states in rebellion, enslaved people there were freed. However, not everyone was aware of emancipation, even after the Civil War was over. In Texas, it wasn’t until US General Gordon Grainger issued General Order #3 on June 19, 1865 that:
“The people are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property, between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them, become that between employer and hired labor.”
From that day, June 19, came a jubilee celebration for the last of the enslaved people of the United States, who finally learned of their new freedom. Juneteenth, as it became known, commemorates this day.
On June 17, 2021, the importance of what Juneteenth represents was recognized by the United States with the designation of June 19, “Juneteenth”, as a federal holiday.
Watch the 2021 Watchorn Lincoln Dinner on the Special Collections YouTube channel. The reimagined event includes past Lincoln Dinner speakers, music, and an appearance by President Lincoln!
As we honor a monumental milestone in American history – the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence – the Watchorn Lincoln Memorial Association invites you to join us for Liberty’s Legacy: Celebrating 250 Years of Independence, a program that reflects not only our nation’s past but also focuses on the enduring ideals that continue to shape our society today.
Taking place on September 29 and 30, this two-day program will include a keynote address by noted historian Jon Meacham and a symposium featuring scholars discussing the significance of the Declaration of Independence to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.
We are pleased to present a keynote address by Jon Meacham, a distinguished presidential historian, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, and the Rogers Chair in the American Presidency at Vanderbilt University. With a talent for weaving history with contemporary relevance, Meacham will explore the founding ideals embedded in the Declaration of Independence and their profound influence on American history.
Jon Meacham is the New York Times bestselling author of And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, among other books. His most recent work, American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, And The Pursuit of a More Perfect Union, An Anthology provides a historical examination of American democracy through key speeches and documents from 1619 to present, analyzing national debates and divisions with expert commentary.
Jon Meacham’s engaging speaking style and profound knowledge makes this address a must-attend event for anyone interested in the foundations of our democracy.
The keynote address will be delivered on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 7:00 pm in the Memorial Chapel on the campus of the University of Redlands. The program is open to the public at no cost. Registration is required.
Join us for an immersive all-day symposium featuring five distinguished scholars discussing President Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War with particular focus on the impact of the Declaration of Independence on Lincoln’s perspective on liberty and slavery.
Click here to learn more about the speakers.
The symposium will attract educators, scholars, students and others interested in the nation’s founding ideals and Lincoln’s transformative leadership.
The all-day event will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at the Orton Center on the campus of the University of Redlands. The fee for attending the symposium is $125.00 per person. The fee includes lunch and closing reception at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine, fostering meaningful discussions and connections among attendees. The symposium program starts at 9:00 am and ends at 6:00 pm. Registration is required. Deadline to register is Tuesday, September 15 or when sold out.
As part of the Liberty’s Legacy: 250 Years of Independence program, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine is featuring two exciting exhibits that look at the legacy of the Declaration of Independence:
“Becoming the United States: Colonial America to Reconstruction,” created by The Gilder Lehrman Institute of America. The exhibit explores the foundational people, events and diverse communities that built the United States from the early colonial era through the Reconstruction period.
“ … That All Men Are Created Equal: Slavery in America,” created by Special Collection Division of the A.K. Smiley Public Library. The exhibit explores the history, experience and legacy of enslavement in the United States from the precolonial era through the twentieth century, featuring the Lincoln Memorial Shrine’s Slavery in America Collection.
The Lincoln Memorial Shrine is open Tuesday-Sunday, 1-5pm. Please contact (909)798-7632 for more information about the exhibits.
—
The Watchorn Lincoln Memorial Association (WLMA) supports the mission of the Lincoln Memorial Shrine. Founded in 1938 by Robert Watchorn as a 501(c)(3) non-profit California corporation, the WLMA helps advance the educational work of the Lincoln Memorial Shrine. The organization sponsors numerous programs throughout the year, including the Watchorn Lincoln Dinner. The dinner, hosted in coordination with the Special Collections Division of A.K. Smiley Public Library, is held annually on Lincoln’s birthday. Since the first dinner in 1932, more than ninety historians, authors and enthusiasts have addressed Watchorn Lincoln Dinner guests.
Guided tours are available by reservation for groups of 12 or more people. Please call (909)798-7632 for additional information.
