Discover the Top 21 Fun Facts About Abraham Lincoln: Uncovering the Surprising Side of Honest Abe!

1. Abe the Wrestler

Who said American presidents can't rumble? We may have just found the original WrestleMania superstar, ladies and gents: Abraham Lincoln was not only an accomplished wrestler, competing in over 300 catch-as-catch-can matches throughout his youth, but he even became a county champion at the ripe age of 21! Although he had a single recorded defeat during the Black Hawk War of 1832, Honest Abe took the loss with dignity and congratulated his opponent. Surprisingly, however, there's no evidence that he ever body-slammed anyone in the process.
Source => olympics.com

2. Honesty as a GPS

They say honesty is the best policy, but how about using it as your personal GPS? Abraham Lincoln did just that, traversing through the land of six cents and moral high grounds: Tale has it that "Honest Abe" once hiked over two miles to return an overpayment of six cents to a customer, earning him a rep for integrity and an amusing anecdote worth sharing on social media.
Source => myjournalcourier.com

Did you know George Washington's famous dentures were far from wooden? Discover the surprising materials used in his peculiar pearly whites!

=> Fun Facts about George-Washington

3. Vampire Hunter Abe

When Honest Abe wasn't too busy emancipating or uniting a nation, he moonlighted as a vampire-slaying action hero, at least according to Hollywood's finest: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a 2012 film directed by Timur Bekmambetov, based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, which presents the 16th President as a secret vampire exterminator. Produced by Tim Burton and featuring Benjamin Walker as Lincoln, the movie received mixed reviews but still managed to gross $116 million internationally, proving there's always room for a little humor in history.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Swiss Army Hat

If Honest Abe's top hat could talk, it would probably boast about being the 19th century's Swiss army knife of fashion: Abraham Lincoln cleverly utilized his top hat as a weather-shield, a makeshift briefcase for important papers, and a subtle way to further emphasize his towering stature during speeches and public appearances.
Source => smithsonianmag.com

5. Presidential Cat Entourage

What do you get when you cross a top hat, a beard, and a smart feline? Abraham Lincoln's cat entourage, of course: While President Lincoln was known to have pet cats, named Tabby and Dixie, gifted to him by Secretary of State William Seward, he was actually more of a dog lover and left his cherished canine, Fido, back in Springfield, Illinois during his time in the White House. Lincoln was even known to have humorously stated that Dixie was smarter than some of his human cabinet members.
Source => whitehousehistory.org

6. Prophetic Dreams

You snooze, you lose (or, in this case, prophesize your doom): Honest Abe had quite the creative and psychic mind when it came to snoozeville – he once dreamt of his own corpse lying in the White House, surrounded by sobbing mourners. And just like that, ten days later: Boom! Lincoln's premonition came true when an assassin's bullet found its mark during a night at the theater, leaving the nation in mourning and an unforgettable legacy behind.
Source => history.com

7. Jester-in-chief

Did you know Honest Abe was quite the tale-weaver-in-chief? His storytelling prowess knew no bounds, from swapping yarns to cracking punchlines that had his audience in stitches – truly a presidential jester: Lincoln's exceptional humor and vast repertoire of jokes and stories were often used to diffuse tension, clarify arguments, and avoid sensitive subjects during his presidency, revealing his wit, intelligence, and impressive memory.
Source => abrahamlincolnsclassroom.org

8. Self-taught Lawyer

Who needs law school when you have a library card and sheer determination? That's right, folks: Abraham Lincoln became a successful lawyer merely by studying law books borrowed from a fellow attorney, John Todd Stuart, eventually forming three legal partnerships and practicing in state and U.S. courts before being nominated by the President to appoint legal associates to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Source => abrahamlincolnonline.org

9. On-the-fence Campaign

Who needs a fancy PR campaign when you've got good ol' fence rails? That's right: Abraham Lincoln's 1860 presidential campaign was quite literally "on the fence," as supporters used pieces of fence rails he and his cousin John Hanks had split to symbolize Honest Abe's self-made frontiersman origins. And just to prove they were legit, one such piece came with an affidavit from Cousin John himself, later sold to rake in some serious dough for Union soldiers.
Source => americanhistory.si.edu

10. Bartender Abe

While Honest Abe's hat carried more than just goodwill and freedom, his possessions at home remain top secret: Abraham Lincoln, the tallest American President at 6 feet 4 inches, was not only a skilled wrestler but also once owned a tavern where he held a license to bartend.
Source => inshorts.com

11. Devoted Husband

Legend has it that Honest Abe could have doubled as a saint of matrimonial fidelity, never once flirting with the idea of trading in his proverbial stovepipe hat for a cheeky trilby: In reality, Lincoln's relationship with his wife, Mary Todd, was marked by genuine devotion, as evidenced by a letter he wrote to her while she was away in 1848, bemoaning the tastelessness of life without her and even splurging on some stylish shirt-bosom studs as a token of his affection.
Source => housedivided.dickinson.edu

12. Original WWE Superstar

Before Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson made wrestling cool, Abe "The Baberaham" Lincoln threw down the gauntlet and laid the smackdown in the 1800s: Not many people know that Abraham Lincoln was an accomplished wrestler in his youth, and his prowess led him to challenge and triumph over a local champion in a grueling hours-long match, earning him the admiration of his fellow townspeople.
Source => traveling-cook.com

13. Tavern Troubles

Before Honest Abe poured his heart into the Emancipation Proclamation, he was pouring drinks in a tavern: Lincoln co-owned a store and tavern in New Salem, Illinois, but it was his partner, William F. Berry, who held the tavern license and indulged in on-the-job drinking, which led to financial issues for the business and eventually pushed Lincoln to sell his share and pursue law and politics.
Source => chicagoist.com

14. Abe's Audition Flaws

If Abe Lincoln were a contestant on America's Got Talent, critics might've given him the ol' buzz and gong during his presidential audition: Abraham Lincoln faced significant criticism for inexperience during the early days of his presidency, with the Emancipation Proclamation even garnering disapproval from the Northern press and Union soldiers, until military victories eventually secured his re-election in 1864.
Source => battlefields.org

15. Assassination at the Theatre

Knock, knock! Who's there? Not Abe Lincoln, he's at a play tonight: On April 14, 1865, just days after the Confederate Army had officially surrendered, Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C., becoming the first U.S. president to be assassinated in office.
Source => study.com

16. Christmas Turkey Pardon

Before Benjamin Franklin could ask "Why did the turkey cross the road?", Abraham Lincoln spared one plucky bird from becoming Christmas dinner: Contrary to popular belief, Honest Abe only had one recorded turkey pardon, for his son Tad's pet turkey, Jack – and that wasn't even for Thanksgiving but for Christmas! The annual tradition of pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey didn't officially begin until 1947 with President Harry Truman.
Source => nps.gov

17. Multi-tasking White House

You know the saying, "If these walls could talk?" Well, Abe Lincoln's White House did more than just gossip; they grew gardens, snapped selfies, and healed the wounded: During his presidency, Lincoln approved the construction of a greenhouse for rare plants, saw the first photo of the White House taken in 1846, and even transformed it into a hospital for Union soldiers during the Civil War. Talk about multitasking!
Source => whitehousehistory.org

18. Ship-lifting Inventor

Before he was Presidential lifeguard, Ole' Honest Abe was ready to "save" ships from a watery demise by giving them a little buoyant boost: Abraham Lincoln once held a patent for a device designed to help vessels navigate over shoals by attaching adjustable air chambers to their sides, which could be lowered into the water and inflated to lift the boat over obstacles—though the invention never made it to practical use, it highlights his problem-solving skills gained as a ferryman on the Mississippi River.
Source => gilderlehrman.org

19. Lucky Abe's Silver Coin

Talk about a pre-presidential piggy bank! Honest Abe was known to tuck away a little treasure in his pockets for luck: Abraham Lincoln used to carry a lucky silver half-dollar coin from 1864, which was found among his belongings after his assassination, likely serving as his preferred good luck charm.
Source => smore.com

20. Turtle-loving Abe

Picture Old Abe cruisin' down a dirt path, bustin' some turtle-saving moves worthy of a Keanu Reeves film: Abraham Lincoln was not only a skilled orator and president but also a devoted animal lover, who once stopped his carriage to rescue a turtle from a busy road and even owned a pet turkey named Jack, whom he spared from becoming Thanksgiving dinner and turned into an esteemed White House resident.
Source => wisdomtalespress.com

21. Largest Presidential Feet

If the shoe fits, Abe sits – at the top of the presidential shoe size charts, that is! His tootsies were so monumental, they even managed to leave a footprint in history: Abraham Lincoln had size 14 feet, making him the president with the largest shoe size. Legend has it that his adored Moroccan leather boots, specially crafted by renowned bootmaker Conrad Loch over a 10-month period and costing a hefty $19.50 in 1859 (equivalent to $575.88 today), graced Old Abe's feet throughout his campaign, inaugurations, and possibly during the chilling night of his assassination. The true whereabouts of these boots remain a subject of much debate, with museams and collectors alike vying to claim their possession.
Source => foottalk.blogspot.com