ALPLM Completes Major Restoration Project

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) has completed a six-year conservation initiative to restore 271 fragile charters issued by the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a post-Civil War veterans’ organization founded in Illinois in 1866. At its peak, the GAR represented nearly 400,000 Union veterans and played a vital role in advancing causes such as military pensions, the creation of veterans’ homes, and the national recognition of Memorial Day.

Each GAR post received an ornate charter document that included the post’s name, number, location, and founding date. These documents were often decorated with patriotic imagery, a foil seal, and official certification by GAR leadership. After the last Civil War veterans passed away and local GAR posts disbanded, many of these charters were folded and stored away at state headquarters, where they remained untouched for decades. By 2019, most had become too brittle to handle without risking damage.

ALPLM conservators launched a meticulous restoration process to save the documents. Each charter was gently humidified to regain flexibility, then flattened and repaired. Conservators reattached loose fragments by hand, often using tweezers, and relied on techniques that allow for future restoration work. The painstaking process required patience and precision, with staff comparing the experience to assembling intricate jigsaw puzzles.

The preserved collection includes charters from across Illinois. Cook County had the highest number represented, with 23 charters, followed by Fulton, Vermilion, McLean, Sangamon, and Macoupin counties. Notably, the project also restored 11 charters from African American GAR posts and 48 from integrated posts, preserving an important and often overlooked chapter of Civil War history.

Now fully conserved, the charters are available for onsite study at the presidential library. Plans are in place to digitize the collection, making it accessible to researchers and the public nationwide. ALPLM officials emphasized the historical importance of the GAR, noting its advocacy for veterans, support for widows and orphans, and its influence on public policy in the decades following the Civil War.

The successful completion of this project ensures that the legacy of Illinois’ Civil War veterans, and the organization that supported them, will be preserved for generations to come.