The Western Illinois Museum is pleased to welcome lawyer Thomas Stipanowich for his program
Abraham Lincoln, Local Hero
Saturday, June 28th, 2025, at 1:00 pm
The Western Illinois Museum invites the community to celebrate Macomb’s Heritage Days with a special installment of its Our Front Porch series. On Saturday, June 28, at 1:00 PM, Macomb native and Pepperdine University law professor Thomas Stipanowich will present Abraham Lincoln, Local Hero.
In this engaging program, Professor Stipanowich will explore Abraham Lincoln’s strategic thinking and enduring connections to west-central Illinois. Attendees will gain insight into Lincoln’s local influence and legal legacy, including his visits to Macomb, where some believe he began laying the groundwork for his successful 1860 presidential campaign.
Stipanowich will also share fascinating stories, such as Lincoln’s involvement in a duel challenge from a political rival, and his representation of a Crooked Creek (now Lamoine River) mill owner in a dispute, one of many legal cases that highlight Lincoln’s preference for settlement over litigation. He’ll also discuss one of Lincoln’s most significant cases, involving a steamboat collision with the Rock Island Bridge.
Through these stories and more, the program offers a fresh perspective on Lincoln’s character, legal career, and the local roots that shaped his rise to national leadership.
The Western Illinois Museum is a nonprofit organization that celebrates the history, culture, and traditions of McDonough County. Located just one block south of Courthouse Square at 201 S. Lafayette Street, the Museum serves as a welcoming community space offering exhibits, lectures, music, and more.
For more information, visit wimuseum.org, call 309-837-2750, text 309-837-2613, or email info@wimuseum.org.
Thomas J. Stipanowich is the William H. Webster Chair in Dispute Resolution and Professor of Law at Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, where he teaches negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. A leading scholar, speaker, and practitioner, he has authored influential works, including Federal Arbitration Law and Resolving Disputes. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field and has served in leadership roles with major dispute resolution organizations worldwide.
To read more about Professor Stipanowich, visit https://law.pepperdine.edu/faculty-research/thomas-stipanowich/
***Courtesy of the Western Illinois Museum***
