Ike Boland shows off the Lincoln-Hamlin campaign flag.

There was no hesitation in Ike Borlands steps when he was asked to show off an amazing object at the Wilder Museum of Warren County History.

He walked directly to the Civil War room and pointed at a campaign flag draped inside one of the display cases. There is a lot of history behind that flag.

“For President ABRAHAM LINCOLN For Vice President HANNIBAL HAMLIN”, reads the flag. Hamlin, a Maine native, was vice president in Lincoln’s first term in 1860. He was the first Republican vice president for the relatively new Republican party that started in 1856.

Hamlin was replaced on the ticket by Andrew Johnson in Lincoln’s second term. Johnson was from Tennessee, according to Borland, and chosen for his appeal to southern interests. Johnson became president after Lincoln was assassinated, while Hamlin went on to serve two terms in the United States Senate and later became U.S. Ambassador to Spain.

Abraham Lincoln never came to Warren, and Borland wasn’t sure how the campaign flag came to be at the museum.

Lincoln famously stopped in Westfield on his inauguration trip to Washington on February 16, 1861 and met with Grace Bedell, who had written him a letter suggesting that he grow a beard. That may be the closest he ever came to Warren County. Presidents started their term on March 1 when Lincoln took office.

The Civil War room in the Wilder Museum recently had a makeover and now features new objects that have been more recently donated.

The WIlder Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at 51 Erie Ave., Irvine.