National Register of Historic Places

Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building

Athens, Menard County, Illinois
Listed
May 21, 2005
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
05000431

About this property

The Col. Matthew Rogers Building, also known as the Abraham Lincoln Long Nine Museum, is a historic building located at 200 S. Main St. in Athens, Illinois. The building was constructed circa 1832 by Colonel Matthew Rogers, who ran a store in the building. As Rogers was also postmaster of Athens, he moved the city's post office to his store. Abraham Lincoln, who was postmaster of New Salem at the time, frequently visited the post office during the 1830s to fetch mail. Josiah Francis purchased the store on a mortgage from Rogers in 1837. In the same year, Athens held a banquet in the building to honor Lincoln and eight other Illinois legislators for moving the state capital to Springfield; the nine men were known as the "Long Nine", as they were all over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall. When Rogers sued Francis for failing to keep up with his mortgage payments in 1840, Lincoln again became involved with the store, as his firm represented Rogers in court; Rogers won the case by default. After Rogers died in 1848, the building continued to be used as a store. The building is now a museum documenting Lincoln and the Long Nine's history and connection to the building. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 2005.

Location

200 S. Main St.
Athens, Menard County, Illinois
39.96006, -89.72396

Categories

COMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building

This page lists Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

North Sangamon United Presbyterian Church
Industrial
3 mi
Power Farmstead
Industrial
3.4 mi
Lincoln's New Salem Village
Listed
6.4 mi
Petersburg Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Early Republic
7.5 mi
Flagg, Cornelius, Farmstead
Industrial
7.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building listed on the National Register?

Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 2005.

What type of historic resource is Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building?

Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building?

The period of significance for Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Menard County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Menard County.

Explore MenardCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Rogers, Col. Matthew, Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report