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History · Lincoln Township

Lincoln Township dates to 1879, and 29% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1893 on, and the census since 1880.

1879founded
0on the National Register
29%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
5famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Lincoln Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Lincoln Township began

When was Lincoln Township founded?

1879

Lincoln Township dates its founding to 1879 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 422 in 18802020 census: 73147 years
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓

What stands out about Lincoln Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18933 editions of the USGS map, 1893 to 1980. Watch Lincoln Township change.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,761 in 1940; 1,171 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Lincoln Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Lincoln Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewBloemzak 'Roller Mills', asset u1PdafDn…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Lincoln Township on the map, 1893 to 1980

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Lincoln Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Lincoln Township on the 1893 USGS mapLincoln Township on the 1960 USGS mapLincoln Township on the 1980 USGS map1893Smith Center sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Lincoln Township.

People over time

Lincoln Township, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,6001,80018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 1,761

Peaked at 1,761 in 1940; 1,171 people lived here in 2020.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Lincoln Township’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Lincoln Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Lincoln Township.

Read it all →

Settler George Green founded the town of Lincoln in 1870, naming it after the county. "Center" was added to its name to indicate its location in the central part of the county. County residents initially voted to place the county seat in Lincoln Center. Elections in November 1870 resulted in the seat relocating to nearby Abram, sparking a county seat war. Another vote in February 1872 reversed the switch, and Lincoln Center again became the county seat. Residents relocated all the buildings in Abram to Lincoln, merging the two communities. The town was incorporated as the city of Lincoln Center in 1879, and is officially referred to as such in the United States Census. Both the city government and local chamber of commerce refer to the city as Lincoln, and it appears as such on state maps and signs.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Lincoln Township, 1879 to 1978

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1879
    FoundingLincoln Township is established
  3. 1890Born hereDaniel Ray Hull is born here
  4. 1893On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 1894Born hereDon G. Abel is born here
  6. 20th century
  7. 1914In the archiveBloemzak 'Roller Mills', asset u1PdafDnRXfIIaVkFSXzYv8Z
  8. 1914Born hereRex Darling is born here
  9. 1922In the archiveKanchristcollege
  10. 1940CensusPopulation peaks at 1,761
  11. 1978Born hereJessa Crispin is born here
By decade

Lincoln Township, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1910s to the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s–1920s2 items
Bloemzak 'Roller Mills', asset u1PdafDnRXfIIaVkFSXzYv8Z1914Bloemzak 'Roller Mills', asset u1PdafDnRXfIIaVkFSXzYv…Kanchristcollege1922Kanchristcollege
1930s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today4 recent
Post Rock Country community sign2016Post Rock Country community signLincolnCarnegieLibrary2013LincolnCarnegieLibraryDetailed map of2010Detailed map ofMapKSMap-doton-Lincoln Center2004KSMap-doton-Lincoln Center
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Bloemzak 'Roller Mills', asset u1PdafDnRXfIIaVkFSXzYv8Z
Retake this viewBloemzak 'Roller Mills', asset u1PdafDnRXfIIaVkFSXzYv8Z, 1914

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Lincoln Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

5 famous people were born in Lincoln Township

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Jessa CrispinAmerican literary critic, editor of Bookslut · b. 1978
D
Daniel Ray HullLandscape Architect · b. 1890
R
Rex DarlingAmerican football coach · b. 1914
D
Don G. AbelAmerican judge · b. 1894
U
Uncas A. WhitakerAmerican businessman · b. 1900
Places that used to be

Places now gone and burying grounds

Gone or out of use
Oak Creek SchoolschoolOrangelocale
1cemetery inside Lincoln Township
South Oak Creek

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Ross Township2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townGarfield TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townErving TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townWebster TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townBethany TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Lincoln Township’s history

What year was Lincoln Township founded?

In 1879, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 422 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikidata (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.