MENTOR GRAHAM HOME
BLUNT, S.D.
EXTERIOR OF MENTOR GRAHAM HOME
THE MENTOR GRAHAM HOME IS LOCATED ON HIGHWAY 14 ACROSS FROM OAHE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE'S HEADQUARTERS. MENTOR GRAHAM, REGARDED BY MANY AS THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON ABRAHAM LINCOLN, LIVED THE LATTER PART OF HIS LIFE IN BLUNT AND WAS BURIED HERE IN 1885. HE TAUGHT LINCOLN THE ART OF SURVEYING AT NEW SALEM, ILL., AND ALSO HAD MUCH TO DO WITH LINCOLN'S SUCCINCT AND PICTURESQUE PHRASEOLOGY. GRAHAM ALSO TUTORED LINCOLN IN GRAMMAR.
GRAHAM CAME TO SOUTH DAKOTA FROM ILLINOIS IN 1883 AT ABOUT THE AGE OF 83. THE HOUSE IN BLUNT WHERE HE LIVED WITH HIS SON, HARRY LINCOLN GRAHAM,WAS OPENED TO THE PUBLIC ON NOV. 1, 1950, BY THE SOUTH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. IN JULY, 1987, SPONSORSHIP OF THE HOUSE WAS TURNED OVER TO THE CITY OF BLUNT BY THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. IT IS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL HISTORY REGISTRY AND WAS LISTED ON THE SOUTH DAKOTA CENTENNIAL BROCHURE OF HISTORICAL PLACES TO VISIT.
INTERIOR OF GRAHAM'S HOME
OLD CABINET AND CHAIR OF GRAHAM'S
UPPER LEFT PICTURE IS OF GRAHAM AND WIFE
(Contact person for visiting the home is Mrs. Calvin (Karen) Harsin.)
