The bust and other Lincoln memorabilia are housed in the Union Pacific Railroad
Museum at 200 Pearl Street in Council Bluffs. During the Civil War Lincoln approved
measures which helped facilitate construction of a transcontinental railroad. The
western portion eventually stretched from the Missouri River to the West Coast. Lincoln visited
Council Bluffs in 1859 and met with Grenville Dodge, an engineer who recommended
the region as the railroad's eastern terminus. Ames Bust in
Council Bluffs, Iowa
In 1862 Sarah Fisher Clampitt Ames produced this likeness of President Lincoln from life.
Beautifully sculpted in marble, the bust is smaller than life size and one
of several she designed in the classical style. A larger version is displayed in
the U.S. Capitol. Sarah assisted the Union cause during the Civil War, working as a
nurse and championing anti-slavery measures. She was married to Joseph Ames, an
artist who also portrayed Lincoln.
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