Long-lost 1915 silent film about Abraham Lincoln found on Long Island

A 1915 movie astir the beingness of Abraham Lincoln, antecedently thought mislaid forever, was recovered connected Long Island.

“The Heart of Lincoln,” released by Universal, is simply a soundless movie astir American beingness during the Civil War. It was directed by and stars Francis Ford — the member of legendary manager John Ford — arsenic the 16th president.

The movie was discovered by intern Dan Martin astatine Lauro’s Historic Films Archive successful Greenport portion helium was going done boxes of worldly donated to the archive.

The 65-minute movie had antecedently been listed by the Library of Congress arsenic one of 7,000 soundless films thought to beryllium mislaid forever. Many soundless films were mislaid due to the fact that they were printed connected highly volatile nitrate movie stock, according to Newsday.

Film archivist Eliot Kissileff told NBC New York that helium was capable to digitize the 16-millimeter print.

“I conjecture it was conscionable fortunate the cans were sealed and had not decayed,” Kissilef told the station.

“For idiosyncratic going to schoolhouse for movie preservation, this is astir the astir rewarding result you tin person sifting done those aged movie cans,” intern Martin added.

Joe Lauro, who owns the archive, said helium hopes to adhd a people to the preserved film.

“With soundless films, astir apt 70% of them are gone,” Lauro told NBC New York. “It’s a portion of the puzzle that’s present been found. The puzzle of mislaid American cinema.”

Originally Published: February 5, 2025 astatine 1:50 PM EST