Abraham Lincoln's hand-made mallet unveiled at Indiana museum

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA — Indiana State Museum has unveiled a significant artifact that once belonged to President Abraham Lincoln.

This is Honest Abe's mallet

Called a bench mallet, it would have been used to drive hand-carved wooden pegs into furniture and other fixtures.

The future 16-th president marked his initials in it with square edged nails and the year 18-29 on the side.  He would have been about 20 years old when he made it, likely from the remains of a larger log-splitting tool that broke.  Lincoln and his father, Thomas made furniture in the area for about 15 years before moving to Illinois.

Museum officials call the mallet one of the most significant artifacts ever found.

"You may recall Abraham Lincoln being referred to as the railsplitter during his political career.  It was a moniker that harkened back to his days in his days in Indiana and his real roots and his hard work in industry," says Tom King, Historic Sites President & CEO.  "Today, I'm pleased to announce that we've uncovered the railsplitter's railsplitter."

The relic was a family's secret heirloom for five generations.  They've loaned it to the musuem for display for one year.

WPXI