[4] During and after the American Civil War, the Minnesota legislature wanted to name a county after President Abraham Lincoln.

Acts were proposed to effect this change in 1861, in 1866, and in 1870, but each time the effort failed by vote or was ignored by the county's citizens.

The final effort was an act passed on March 6, 1873, dividing Lyon County into approximately equal halves, with the western half to be named Lincoln.

[5] Lincoln County lies on Minnesota's border with South Dakota.

The county's terrain consists of rolling hills and is mostly devoted to agriculture.

[6] The terrain slopes to the north and east, with its highest point on its lower west border, at 1,991 ft (607 m) ASL.