History Highlights

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“Whatever you are, be a good one.” ― Abraham Lincoln
  • Quincy has proven since its 1825 inception, to be a “good” city. Good at industry, commerce, ingenuity and hospitality. And good at providing a welcoming, safe harbor and home to people suffering adversity.
  • Quincy is known as Illinois’ “Gem City,” on the western border of the state where Iowa & Missouri meet. During the 19th Century, Quincy was a thriving transportation center as riverboats and rail service linked the city to many destinations west and along the river.
  • Separated only by the river from the slave state of Missouri, Quincy was a pivotal community on the issue of slavery and equality. In the 1830s it served as a key link in the Underground Railroad, and later was often frequented by Abraham Lincoln. The 6th Lincoln-Douglas Debate was held in Quincy’s Washington Park in 1858.
  • During the 1860s Augustine Tolton relocated as a young boy to Quincy, later becoming the first black priest in the United States.
  • Quincy was once Illinois’ second-largest city, surpassing Peoria in 1870. Today, it remains a prominent river city, and is an integral part of the Great River Road, America’s historic north-south transcontinental byway since 1938.
  • A mighty duo exists in our fair city: preservation and progression. Hence, there are 3,600+ buildings contributing to 4 National Historic Register Historic Districts, 28 parks, 18 Lincoln Storyboards, 10 museums, 70 locally owned eateries, and 5 wineries.
  • Continued growth and restoration of the 1857 Brewery District in Quincy, now offers artists, visitors and residents a fine arts gallery, brewery building tours and a revitalized annual Oktoberfest.
  • In addition to the Lincoln Storyboards dotting the downtown area, Quincy has now been named one of six Gateway Communities in the State of Illinois.


Courtesy of seequincy.com