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Tuesday 1pm - 5pm Wednesday 1pm - 5pm Thursday 1pm - 5pm Friday 1pm - 5pm Saturday 1pm - 5pm Sunday 1pm - 5pm

The Lincoln Memorial Shrine

Name: The Lincoln Memorial Shrine
Address: 125 W Vine Street, Redlands, CA, 92373, US
Telephone: +19097987636

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The Lincoln Memorial Shrine

The Lincoln Memorial Shrine - a museum/research facility dedicated to Abraham Lincoln & the Civil War Admission to The Lincoln Memorial Shrine is free.

The Lincoln Memorial Shrine is open
Tuesday through Sunday from 1-5 pm. History of the Shrine
The Lincoln Memorial Shrine was originally designed in an octagon shape by noted Southern California architect Elmer Grey in 1932. The construction of reinforced concrete was faced with Bedford Indiana limestone plates upon which are inscribed excerpts from Lincoln's speeches. Although the original plan

called for 75-foot long patio wings to extend from each side of the Shrine, complete with fountains, benches, and additional inscriptions, it was not until 1937 that these areas were added. The additions were crafted from the same material used in the octagon with the Indiana limestone selected to match before leaving the quarry. As originally planned, these patio areas featured additional excerpts from Lincoln's speeches inscribed into the walls and fountains designed by noted American sculptor Merrill Gage. Robert Watchorn had always desired to expand his facility, but the lingering effects of the Great Depression followed by the start of World War II caused him to postpone his plans. In 1944 Watchorn passed away his dreams unfulfilled. On February 12, 1998, Watchorn's desire for an enlarged facility was realized when the newly expanded Shrine was rededicated. After four and a half years of fundraising two new wings were added to the original octagon where the patio areas had been located. The design called for moving the fountain and pool areas forward. Careful removal and repositioning of the limestone panels and the selection of new materials have created a harmonious blend of new wings with the original octagon. The interior of the Shrine features bookcases from Circassian walnut in the original octagon. The woodwork in the new wings was chosen to complement the original furnishings.

03/11/2026

Celebrate Women’s History Month with us at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine! 🌟

Join us on Saturday, March 28 at 11am for a special presentation by historian Louisa Brandt: “Improving Californian Respectability: Women’s Participation in the Civil War from the Golden State.” The program will take place in the Assembly Room at A.K. Smiley Public Library and on Zoom.

Brandt will explore how women played a vital role in California’s involvement in the Civil War—even in a state where men outnumbered women two to one. Their efforts helped shape political causes and transform California’s reputation from Gold Rush excess to a state engaged with national affairs.

📍 125 W. Vine Street, Redlands
💻 Join on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88443917575?pwd=VZ3AM11kMtUXJmmRKVvwOdXCshbxVP.1
🎟 Free and open to the public (no registration required)

Questions? Call (909) 798-7632 or email [email protected].
Visit www.lincolnshrine.org for updates.

03/02/2026

In the early 1800s, as printing technology expanded and cities grew, women’s magazines rose right alongside a new middle class. What began as poetry, fashion plates (swipe to see an example!), and household advice quickly became one of the most powerful forces in publishing — with women making up as much as 80% of readers by mid-century.

Publications like Peterson’s Magazine, founded in 1842, competed with popular titles like Godey’s Lady’s Book, offering fashion, fiction, recipes, and advice to a growing female audience. Though many early periodicals were written by men to define women’s “proper” roles, women soon claimed space within their pages.

Editors like Ann S. Stephens used these platforms to connect with readers and build careers — carving out financial and public independence at a time when women were expected to remain rooted in the domestic sphere.
Long before suffrage was won, women were already shaping culture, conversation, and commerce — one printed page at a time. 📖🖋️

🏷️

02/14/2026

Commemorate Presidents' Day at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine! In observance of the holiday, the museum will open 1-5pm all Presidents' Day weekend. Visit www.lincolnshrine.org for additional information.

02/13/2026

Museums Free-For-All is Back on February 22

For the third year in a row, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine is proud to participate in SoCal Museums’ Museums Free-for-All on Saturday, February 22! As an affiliate of SoCal Museums since 2022, we’re excited to join more than two dozen museums and cultural centers across Southern California in celebrating free access to arts and culture.

Enjoy a day dedicated to discovering new favorites, revisiting beloved institutions, and experiencing the incredible cultural diversity of our region — all at no cost.

📍 Lincoln Memorial Shrine
125 W. Vine Street (just south of A.K. Smiley Public Library)
🕐 Open Tuesday–Sunday, 1–5pm
🎟️ Always free (donations appreciated!)

🔗 See all participating museums at socalmuseums.net/free-days
📲 Learn more at lincolnshrine.org

📸 Visiting us during the Free-for-All? Tag and with — we’d love to see your photos!

01/09/2026

February is Lincoln Season at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine!
Honor President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in February…

✨ Open House�📅 Saturday, February 7 | 11am–3pm�📍 Lincoln Memorial Shrine & Smiley Park
Enjoy live music, Civil War reenactors, family activities, and more! Highlights include:
�🔔 Hourly cannon demonstrations by the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery
�📜 The Gettysburg Address presented by Robert Broski as President Lincoln
�🧱 A Civil War LEGO display by IE LEGO User Group

The day begins with the Annual Lincoln Pilgrimage at10:30am on the steps of the Shrine.
�🎟️ Free & open to the public

ℹ️ Learn more at lincolnshrine.org
Program subject to change.

12/23/2025

The Lincoln Shrine will be closed Wednesday, December 24 and Thursday, December 25 for the holiday. We will reopen with normal hours Friday, December 26.

Happy holidays from all of us here at the Lincoln Shrine!

12/14/2025

Your visitors and guests this season will enjoy an educational visit to the Lincoln Memorial Shrine- followed by strolling downtown Redlands and grabbing a bite to eat! Stay tuned for changed opening hours this holiday season- but plenty of opportunities to come by during opening hours.

12/12/2025

The Christmas Tree in the rotunda of Lincoln Memorial Shrine is adorned with ornaments of the many faces of significant Civil War people. See how many you can guess- and come by to see the rest of the ornaments or check your guesses!

12/02/2025

Robert Watchorn, the English immigrant who built and endowed the Lincoln Shrine, was often asked what it was about Lincoln that he so admired. His responses were often a Iong discourse on the man. However, he could eloquently sum up his emotions:

"He is one of the finest spirits that ever came into the world… and he turned the currents of freedom into the souls of millions of fellow men. "

The Shrine is the result of this love of Lincoln. It was dedicated and presented to the City of Redlands by Watchorn and his wife Alma on February 12, 1932, not only as a tribute to Lincoln, but as a memorial to their son Ewart, who died in 1920 at the age of 25, as a result of his service in World War I.

Watchorn's belief in philanthropy and charity began when he was an impoverished young man. He recalled the cherished lines from a favorite hymn:

Have you had a kindness shown ? Pass it on. The deed was not for you alone. Pass it on.

Watchorn believed that only by an endowment could the important educational work of the Lincoln Memorial Shrine be advanced and distinguished.

Friends remembered Robert Watchorn as the "ideal of service." The Society that bears his name is sustained by member support through bequests or tax-advantaged donations. Such selfless acts of generosity ensure that this important Redlands cultural treasure remains vital and relevant.

FOR THE FUTURE: THE WATCHORN SOCIETY
An exclusive membership of generous friends who seek to ensure the present and future educational work of the Lincoln Memorial Shrine and the history of the Civil War.

The Robert Watchorn Society was created in 2002 to encourage planned giving to the Watchorn Lincoln Memorial Association Endowment Fund. Established in honor of the humanitarian and civic legacies of founder Robert Watchorn, the Society recognizes individuals who commit $10,000 or more in their wills or estate planning for the enrichment of the educational work of the Lincoln Memorial Shrine.

For further information, inquiries should be made to:

(909) 798-7565 [email protected]

https://www.lincolnshrine.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Watchorn-Society-Brochure.pdf

Photo: Robert, Emory and Alma Watchorn

11/22/2025

On Saturday, November 22, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine commemorated Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

The event featured Civil War-era music by the Mountain Fifes and Drums and the Camp Carleton Band, live artillery demonstrations by the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery, and a powerful reading of the Gettysburg Address by Lincoln presenter Robert Broski.

On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln delivered his iconic speech at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, honoring those who gave their lives for liberty, equality, and the end of slavery. His words still echo today as a timeless call to unity and purpose.

Address

125 W Vine Street
Redlands, CA
92373

Opening Hours

Tuesday	1pm - 5pm
Wednesday	1pm - 5pm
Thursday	1pm - 5pm
Friday	1pm - 5pm
Saturday	1pm - 5pm
Sunday	1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+19097987636

Website

http://www.lincolnshrine.org/

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