In 1843, LaRue County was named after John LaRue, an early settler in the area. Hodgenville, the county's largest town, was established in 1818 and later became the seat in 1843. LaRue County is best known as the birthplace and childhood home of Abraham Lincoln; he was born on February 12, 1809, at the Sinking Spring Farm. In 1909, in honor of Lincoln's centennial birthday, New York sculptor Adolph A. Weinmann created a life-size statue of the 16th president, which still stands in the Hodgenville square. Today the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site and Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek are popular tourist attractions. From a national icon to the local farmer, generations of people have called LaRue County home and have nurtured a strong sense of community.