Lincoln, Arkansas is a small farm town in the rolling hills of western Washington County, best known for one thing: apples. Every fall since 1976 it has hosted the Arkansas Apple Festival, a weekend celebration of the orchard country that once shipped fruit out of Lincoln by the railcar. Just a short drive south sits Historic Cane Hill, the oldest European settlement in Washington County and now a working museum and preservation district. Here’s your guide to visiting Lincoln: what to see, a little history, and how to get there.
Lincoln sits along U.S. Highway 62 about 20–25 minutes west of Fayetteville, with roughly 2,300 residents. It’s a quiet, agricultural community — the kind of place you visit for a festival, a history stop, or a scenic drive through the western Ozark foothills toward Cane Hill and the Oklahoma line.
Things to do in Lincoln
The Arkansas Apple Festival
Lincoln’s signature event is the Arkansas Apple Festival, held the first weekend of October on and around the Lincoln town square (Lincoln Square, 112 Boyer Avenue). A feature of Northwest Arkansas life since 1976, the festival celebrates the area’s apple-growing heritage with a Saturday parade, a tractor and antique show, arts-and-crafts and food vendors, live music, and the crowning of an Apple Queen — a tradition memorable enough that then-Governor Bill Clinton came to crown the queen in 1980. Admission is free. Exact schedules shift year to year, so check the official festival site for the current lineup before you plan around it.
Know before you go: the festival draws a crowd to a small town, so arrive early, expect to park on side streets and walk in, and bring cash for vendors. Early October in the Ozarks can swing from warm afternoons to cool mornings, so dress in layers.
Historic Cane Hill
A short drive south of Lincoln, Historic Cane Hill (the community of Canehill) is one of the most historically significant places in Northwest Arkansas. Settled by Europeans in 1827, it was the earliest settlement in Washington County and home to Cane Hill College, an early Arkansas institution. Today the nonprofit Historic Cane Hill, Inc. preserves the district’s historic structures and runs the Historic Cane Hill Museum, with exhibits on the Civil War Battle of Cane Hill, Cane Hill College, early mills, Ozark folk art, and Boonsboro pottery, plus genealogical records for researchers.
Know before you go: the museum is generally open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with private and group tours by appointment. Hours can change seasonally, so call ahead at 479-824-4455 to confirm before you drive out. The surrounding preservation district is best explored on foot — wear comfortable shoes.
Apple and orchard country
The countryside around Lincoln is the heart of what was once Arkansas’s apple belt. Commercial orchards have largely given way to pasture and, in places, vineyards, but the drive through the western Washington County hills — especially toward Cane Hill and along the back roads to Prairie Grove and Siloam Springs — is a rewarding one, particularly in fall. Roadside stands and seasonal farm sales come and go, so treat any produce stop as a happy surprise rather than a guarantee.
A quick history of Lincoln
Lincoln grew up as an apple-shipping town in the orchard country of western Washington County. The town plat was filed in 1903 and modified in 1907, and Lincoln was formally incorporated in November 1907. Apples were the engine of the local economy: by opening day of the rail shipping season in January 1902, barrels of apples were already being hauled to the depot, and the region’s focus on apples deepened after the University of Arkansas’s first dean of agriculture built a cold-storage facility in the area. When the orchard economy declined, some growers replaced apples with vineyards and cattle pasture — but the memory of the apple boom lives on every October at the Apple Festival.
Where to eat, drink, and stay
Lincoln is a small town, so dining and lodging options in town are limited — expect a handful of local spots and gas-station stops rather than a restaurant row, and plan to base yourself in Fayetteville for hotels. Fayetteville, about 20–25 minutes east, has the nearest full range of restaurants, breweries, and places to stay. For where to eat and drink nearby, browse our sister sites NWA Food and NWA Brew, or dive into our full guides to Fayetteville and Siloam Springs.
Location & getting there
- Where: Western Washington County, along U.S. Highway 62.
- Nearby cities: about 20–25 minutes west of Fayetteville; roughly 30 minutes east of Siloam Springs.
- From the airport: about an hour from Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA).
- Apple Festival: Lincoln Square (112 Boyer Avenue), first weekend of October; free.
- Historic Cane Hill Museum: a short drive south; generally Thursday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (call 479-824-4455 to confirm).
Get directions to Historic Cane Hill »
Lincoln FAQ
What is Lincoln, Arkansas known for?
Lincoln is known as an old apple-growing town and for the Arkansas Apple Festival, held every first weekend of October since 1976. It’s also the gateway to Historic Cane Hill, the oldest European settlement in Washington County, a short drive south.
When is the Arkansas Apple Festival?
The Arkansas Apple Festival is held on the first weekend of October each year on and around the Lincoln town square. Admission is free. Because the schedule changes from year to year, check the official festival website for the current dates and lineup.
What is there to do at Historic Cane Hill?
Historic Cane Hill preserves one of Arkansas’s earliest communities. You can visit the Historic Cane Hill Museum, with exhibits on the Civil War Battle of Cane Hill, Cane Hill College, early mills, and Ozark folk art, and explore the historic district on foot. The museum is generally open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; call ahead to confirm.
How far is Lincoln from Fayetteville?
Lincoln is about 20 to 25 minutes west of Fayetteville along U.S. Highway 62, and roughly an hour from Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA).
Explore more of Northwest Arkansas
Lincoln makes an easy day trip from the bigger towns nearby. Keep exploring with our guides to Fayetteville, Siloam Springs, and the Northwest Arkansas outdoors, or head back to the WeKnowNWA home page to browse every town.