Council Bluff’s Lincoln Monument

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Council Bluff’s Lincoln Monument

Category: Arts, Culture & Museums

Tags: Black Angel, Fairview Cemetery, Fairview-Lincoln Neighborhood, Grenville Dodge, Kinsman Monument, Platte Valley, Point Lookout, Union Pacific Railroad

Published November 20, 2023 | Updated September 9, 2026

November 20, 2023

When deciding where to locate the eastern terminus of the transcontinental railroad, Abraham Lincoln met with Grenville M. Dodge, a man that surveyed the area west of the Missouri River. Dodge was also adamant that the best place for the railroad was the Platte Valley beginning in present day Council Bluffs. During this visit in 1859, it has been said that Lincoln viewed the area from a steep loess bluff known as Point Lookout. Whether that actually happened has been disputed.

1914 Durham Museum photo of the Lincoln Monument in Council Bluffs.

Just one year later, Lincoln was elected President of the United States. In 1863 he followed Dodge’s advice and designated Council Bluffs as the eastern terminus, the place where the eastern and western lines of the railroad would connect. Dodge would go on to become the chief engineer and surveyor for Union Pacific Railroad in 1866.

This plaque appears on the base of the Lincoln Monument in Council Bluffs.

The Daughters of the American Revolution erected a 24-foot monument to commemorate the spot where they claim Lincoln stood in 1859. The monument is the centerpiece of the 1.5-acre park that sits within the Historic Fairview-Lincoln neighborhood. The park has a steep staircase that goes down the bluff and connects the park to the trail system. From the park you get an amazing view of not only Council Bluffs down below but also the Omaha skyline beyond the river. It is also a popular place for watching fireworks.

This deep stairway in Lincoln Monument Park goes down the bluff and connects to the city’s trail system.

With just a few steps you can visit other historic sites including the Kinsman Monument inside Fairview Cemetery as well as the Ruth Anne Dodge Memorial, which is more popularly known as the Black Angel. I have included photos of both but plan to go more in depth on each of these in a future post.

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Until next time, keep exploring!