A century will celebrate the Lincoln Exedra with a ceremony set for Saturday, Oct. 25. The semicircular stone structure, located on South Street, was the site of a brief address by Abraham Lincoln. In 1861, the president spoke to a small group of Peekskill residents on his way to Washington D. C. According to the Lincoln Society in Peekskill, the Lincoln Exedra is the only monument dedicated to his memory in Westchester County.
The Saturday event, beginning at 1 p.m., will be held outdoors, in front of the Parkway Plaza Apartments, and will include music by the West Point Brass Quintet, remarks by Mayor Vivian McKenzie, and the placement of a commemorative wreath. The celebration is organized by the Lincoln Society in Peekskill, the Lincoln Depot Museum, and the City of Peekskill.
After the outdoor program, attendees will move to the Lincoln Depot Museum, located at 10 South Water Street, where historian Ted Widmer, author of Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington, will deliver a keynote address. Refreshments will be served during the reception, and some books will be available for signing.
Organizers also announced a surprise appearance by the “President-Elect Abraham Lincoln,” portrayed by a historical re-enactor. Attendance at the outdoor ceremony is free, while admission to the reception at the museum is $10 for adults. Children may attend without charge.
Parking is recommended at the Municipal Parking Lot adjacent to Homestyle Desserts, a short walk from the Lincoln Depot Museum. Parking is free on weekends, and South Street is expected to be partially closed during the ceremony. For more information, the public may visit lincolnsocietyinpeekskill.org.
Origin and impact
The Lincoln Exedra was erected in 1925, designed by architect Gilbert H. Anderson on land donated by local veteran John Smith Jr. The structure, a semicircular stone bench with a bronze plaque, marks the exact spot where Lincoln addressed the people of Peekskill on Feb. 19, 1861.
That fleeting encounter—lasting only a few minutes—became a milestone for the city. Since then, the Lincoln Society in Peekskill has organized commemorative events, lectures, and educational programs to preserve the memory of that stop, which briefly connected Peekskill to United States presidential history.
