Cabinet of Curiosities, Ep. 8: The Lincoln Cane

From Vermont to Lincoln to the History Center

In 1861, at the start of the Civil War, a 17-year-old named William Scott from Vermont fell asleep during sentry duty. That incident set off a chain of events that included Scott, a pardon from President Abraham Lincoln, and a wooden cane made as a gift. The cane was later given to the head of Lincoln’s personal security team, who in turn gave it to a friend of Jamison’s who had connections to the Historical Society of York County. How these threads weave together is the subject of the latest Cabinet of Curiosities.

Watch all the episodes on our YouTube channel:

Episode 8: The Lincoln Cane

Episode 7: Bird of Paradise Hat

Episode 6: Santons

Episode 5: Scott Tissue Dress

Episode 4: Boiler Bolt and Lantern Ring

Episode 3: Plaster Fruits and Vegetables

Episode 2: Ebony and Ivory Elephants

Episode 1: The Colobus Monkey Fur Cape

About the Series

With close to 90,000 artifacts in our collection, the York County History Center has many items that are seldom or never on public display. In this video series, Cabinets of Curiosities, we introduce you to some of the oddities in our vast collection.

Watch the video here.