At approximately 7:30 A.M. on the morning of May 1, 1865, the train carrying Abraham Lincoln’s body passed through Wanatah on its way from Washington to Springfield, Illinois. Although it did not stop there, it slowed to 5 miles per hour and tolled its bell as it moved through town. Many mourners gathered beside the tracks, bowed their heads, and removed their hats as the train slowly went by. Some people placed coins on the track to be flattened by the engine and kept as souvenirs of the tragic event.