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America 250: Unraveling the secret inscriptions inside Lincoln's watch

NPR | By Debbie Elliott
Published September 20, 2026 at 8:05 AM EDT

When President Lincoln's pocket watch was being cleaned in 1861, the watchmaker inscribed a secret message about a pivotal moment in the nation's history that still resonates today.

Copyright 2026 NPR
Debbie Elliott
NPR National Correspondent Debbie Elliott can be heard telling stories from her native South.
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