Lincoln Day 2026

The 49th Annual Commemoration
Saturday February 7, 2026

The Hingham Historical Society invites residents of Hingham and the South Shore — and history lovers everywhere — to participate in Hingham’s 49th annual Lincoln Day on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

Each year, Lincoln Day celebrates civic engagement and reflects on the lives and legacies of General Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810) and President Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865). Born more than 70 years and 1,000 miles apart yet with shared Hingham roots, General Lincoln and President Lincoln served their country in revolutionary ways. They took up leadership roles in times of extreme political and social polarization when questions about the meaning of freedom, independence, and liberty divided households, communities, and the nation itself. As America’s semiquincentennial year begins – America’s 250th birthday! – Lincoln Day asks us to consider how we can be inspired by the past to serve our communities’ futures.

Lincoln Day Schedule of Events

  • 10:00am Muster and wreath-laying at the Hingham Memorial Bell Tower (90 Main Street) Unfortunately, the  gravesites of General Benjamin Lincoln and Massachusetts’ Civil War governor, John Albion Andrew in Hingham Cemetery are not currently accessible due to snow and ice. We will not march to the gravesites.
  • 11:00 AM Lincoln Day Program begins at Old Ship Church (90 Main Street) featuring a keynote address from Robert J. Allison, Professor of History at Suffolk University and Chair of the Massachusetts Revolution 250 Advisory Group.
  • 12:00pm Community procession to the Benjamin Lincoln House (just past Fountain Square) for a musket salute and wreath-laying. Due to ongoing Fountain Square improvements, we will be in sight of but will not access the Abraham Lincoln monument and Gen. Lincoln marker. Coffee and hot chocolate will be provided at New North Church (1 Lincoln Street), which Benjamin Lincoln helped establish in 1807.
  • 1:00pm Program participants are invited to the Hingham Heritage Museum (34 Main St.) for soup.
  • 1:00pm – 4:00pm Benjamin Lincoln House will be open for FREE guided tours

All Lincoln Day events are free and open to the public. Please join us!

 

Robert Allison

Robert Allison

Professor at Suffolk University and Chair of Massachusetts’ Revolution 250 Advisory Group

Keynote address for Lincoln Day 2026

Robert J. Allison has taught American History at Suffolk University since 1992. His books include a biography of American naval hero Stephen Decatur, histories h of Boston and the American Revolution, and an edition of The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Two of his classes, “Before 1776: Life in Colonial America,” and “The Age of Benjamin Franklin” are available from The Great Courses. He hosts the Rev250 podcast,  is President of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, and is a life-trustee of the USS CONSTITUTION Museum.