Lincoln had crossed the threshold of his greatest ambition when he and his family became frequent visitors to the Governor’s Mansion, where they mingled with the elite both politically and socially. Lincoln’s name had been mentioned in the press as a possible candidate for the Presidency.
“The Rail Splitter.” Lincoln acquired this nickname during the 1860 convention in Chicago, where he became known as “The Rail Splitter” candidate for President of the United States.
It was to this house, Lincoln’s Springfield residence, that the appointed committee came on May 19, 1860 to notify “The Rail Splitter” candidate of his nomination for the Presidency.
One of the committeemen rang the front doorbell, which has announced visitors to the Lincoln house for more than a hundred years.
“The Rail Splitter” himself opened the front door and welcomed the committee into the entrance hall, where both the humble and the great had always been welcome visitors.
