It’s a sad fact that the earthly remains of President Abraham Lincoln — often regarded as America’s greatest president — were accorded little dignity over many decades. His final resting place in Springfield, Illinois, now a site of solemn pilgrimage, was once the scene of repeated exhumations, inspections, and even a failed attempt to steal the president’s corpse.
Those involved in the exhumations were, for the most part, well-intended. But there appears to have been a morbid curiosity at times, especially regarding the 1901 exhumation and the individuals allowed to view the president’s remains.
A Journey of Mourning (April 21–May 4, 1865)
Lincoln’s body was not quietly buried. It was displayed, transported, and displayed again — over and over. The funeral train left Washington on April 21, 1865, retracing the route Lincoln had taken to his inauguration. It travelled 1,654 miles through seven states, stopping in eleven cities for public viewings. The train never exceeded 20 miles per hour. In every town it passed, crowds gathered. In Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New York, Albany, Cleveland, and Chicago, Lincoln lay in state. Ceremonies were held. Orations were given.
Lincoln’s body was viewed in person by more people than any other in American history, with millions lining the route and attending ceremonies across eleven cities. The mourning was public, prolonged, and deeply physical. The coffin had been opened, closed, transported, and opened again. This was not a quiet farewell. It was a national ritual.
Public Vault, Oak Ridge Cemetery (May 4, 1865)
Lincoln’s coffin arrived in Springfield after a two-week funeral procession. The receiving vault at Oak Ridge was chosen for temporary interment. His son Willie was placed beside him. The tomb had yet to be built — Mary Lincoln had rejected earlier plans for a downtown monument and insisted on a quieter site. The vault was to be public, functional, and unadorned, and never meant to hold the president’s remains for long.
Transfer to Temporary Vault (December 21, 1865)
Seven months later, Lincoln and Willie were moved to a newly constructed temporary vault. The transfer was quiet and without ceremony. Friends opened the coffin to confirm Lincoln’s identity. The National Lincoln Monument Association had begun raising funds for a permanent tomb. This vault was a placeholder — closer to the planned site, but still provisional.
Moved to the Unfinished Tomb (September 19, 1871)
Lincoln’s remains were moved again, this time into the partially completed tomb. The tomb lacked its exterior statuary and final design elements. The interior was still under construction. His sons Edward and Willie joined him. Tad had died two months earlier and had already been interred. Lincoln’s coffin was opened yet again.
Reinterment in Marble Sarcophagus (October 9, 1874)
With the tomb complete, Lincoln’s remains were transferred to a lead-lined cedar coffin and sealed inside a marble sarcophagus. The coffin was opened once again, and identification confirmed. This was meant to be the final move. The tomb was dedicated six days later, public speeches were given, and the sarcophagus was placed into the catacomb beneath the monument.
Hidden After the Attempt to Steal Lincoln’s Remains (November 13, 1876)
A group of counterfeiters tried to steal Lincoln’s body. They failed. Even so, those responsible for the tomb didn’t wait. Custodian John Carroll Power and a few others moved the coffin to a hidden spot inside the structure — no ceremony, no announcement. They buried it beneath a pile of wood. The sarcophagus stayed where it was, but it was empty.
Secret Reburial in a Shallow Grave (November 18, 1878)
Two years after the attempt to steal it, Lincoln’s coffin was moved again. This time, it was buried in a shallow grave within the tomb structure. Only a few people knew, and the grave was unmarked. The Lincoln Guard of Honor had been formed earlier that year — their role was to protect the president’s remains. This relocation was part of that effort.
Verification After Threats (November 21, 1878)
Anonymous threats prompted another exhumation. The coffin was reopened for the obligatory inspection of the president’s remains. He was still there. The inspection was brief.
Mary Todd Lincoln died four years later and was buried nearby.
Transfered to a Brick Burial Vault (April 14, 1887)
Structural repairs to Lincoln’s vault prompted another move. Lincoln and Mary were exhumed and placed in a new brick vault. True to form, Lincoln’s coffin was opened. Twenty-two years had passed since his death, but his body was still recognisable. This new vault was expected to be more stable than the previous one, but it too began to deteriorate. It would not be the Lincolns’ final resting place.
Temporary Underground Vault During Reconstruction (March 10, 1900)
As the tomb deteriorated, plans were made to rebuild it. The coffins were moved to an underground vault nearby. The transfer was temporary. No inspection was performed. The vault was secure but not permanent — reconstruction would take more than a year. The bodies remained undisturbed during that time.
Interred in the Rebuilt Sarcophagus (April 24, 1901)
After the reconstruction, Lincoln’s coffin was placed into a new sarcophagus. The move raised concerns. The 1876 theft had shown how easily the tomb could be breached. It was decided that the new sarcophagus was not secure enough, and another move was planned. This interment lasted only hours.
Crypt Transfer Within the Tomb (April 24, 1901)
Later that same day, Lincoln’s coffin was moved again — this time to an empty crypt within the burial vault. The crypt was meant to be secure. But doubts remained. Plans were made to build a permanent concrete enclosure. The coffin would be sealed beneath the tomb floor.
Final Burial Beneath Concrete (April 24, 1901)
When Lincoln’s coffin was to be removed for the final time, it was reopened. Twenty-three people, including a child, viewed the president’s remains. His body was still intact. The coffin was placed inside a steel cage and buried beneath three metres of concrete. This was the final interment.
Grave Robbers, Abraham Lincoln and the Secret Service
In 1876, a gang of counterfeiters plotted to steal Lincoln’s body and hold it for ransom. Their goal wasn’t symbolic. It was transactional. They wanted their engraver, Benjamin Boyd, released from prison. Boyd had been jailed for producing fake currency. That made the crime federal. It also made it the Secret Service’s problem.
The agency had been founded in 1865 to combat counterfeiting. It had no role in presidential protection. Not yet. But Boyd’s involvement triggered their jurisdiction. An informant named Lewis Swegles infiltrated the gang. Agents waited in the dark, and the plot was foiled. Lincoln’s coffin was hidden, then moved, then buried again.
Their job done, the Secret Service withdrew. They hadn’t come to honour Lincoln’s memory or guard his tomb. They came because a counterfeiter was involved. That was their jurisdiction. In 1876, they weren’t defending a president. They were chasing a man who made fake money.
🔗 Think that was strange? There’s more. Explore our full Oval Office Oddities archive.
🔗 For more on presidential deaths and historical patterns, see our post on the Curse of Tippecanoe and zero-year presidents.
References
[1] Abraham Lincoln Online. Abraham Lincoln Tomb Highlights. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
[2] Wikipedia. State Funeral of Abraham Lincoln. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
[3] Jeremy Prichard Home is the Martyr: The Burial of Abraham Lincoln and the Fate of Illinois’s Capital. Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Winter 2017). Accessed 15 November 2025.