Living Lincoln Topiary Monument

The Living Lincoln Topiary Monument is a 16-foot high by 8 foot wide bust of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. It’s mixed media construction of durable cast stone and steel features a unique topiary aspect in which the 16th president’s beard consists of real living flowering plants and greenery, making it the only sculpture of its kind in the world!

The monument was designed as the centerpiece of Unforgettable Forgottonia‘s Looking For Lincoln Self-Guided Tour, which illustrates Abraham Lincoln‘s long and significant connection to Macomb and McDonough County.

Siting majestically on Macomb’s City Hall lawn this incredible bust of “Honest Abe” was the concept of artist and WIU professor Duke Oursler. The sculpture was created and constructed by Oursler with the assistance of artist Marc Moulton.

The Macomb Area Convention & Visitors Bureau partnered with Oursler on the project with funding provided by The Macomb Rotary Clubs in recognition of its 2020 centennial anniversary.

The Living Lincoln Topiary Monument was dedicated with an unveiling ceremony on Saturday August 29th, 2020. Through the Looking For Lincoln offices in Springfield, IL and the U.S. National Parks Service, Macomb was officially proclaimed an Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area on June 10th, 2021.

Just one more thing that makes Forgottonia so Unforgettable.