The memorial commemorates Abraham Lincoln’s 1832 service in the Black Hawk War. Sculpted by Leonard Crunelle, the statue was dedicated on September 24, 1930.

The memorial consists of a full-length bronze figure of Lincoln as a 23-year-old captain during the Black Hawk War. He wears a sword and belt and carries his coat over one arm. The rear of the granite base bears an inscription commemorating the city’s founder, John Dixon. A plaque located behind the work carries a description of Lincoln’s Black Hawk War service as well as the names of individuals involved in creation of the memorial.