Behind the Walter P. Reuther Library’s unassuming façade lies a virtual treasure trove of historical relics. But according Reference Archivist William LeFevre, one of the most important items is a simple piece of lined paper.

This is no ordinary loose-leaf, but a hand-written letter from the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.  The humble correspondence, dated Oct. 11, 1861, and addressed to Secretary of War Simon Cameron, is a direct request for Cameron to promote two Army captains to the designation of Brigadier General.

The document came to the Reuther in 1959 as part of the Richard and Robert Jacob Americana Collection. The Jacob Collection holds nearly 300 letters and documents of signers of the U.S. Constitution, members of the U.S. Supreme Court and American statesmen from between 1760 and 1900.

LeFevre, who has worked at the Reuther for 23 years, finds the document has a unique ability to inspire wonder in those who view it. “As an archivist, you get jaded about these things over time,” he says. “But this is one of those ‘ghee-whiz’ items that can really bring history alive and inculcate people with a sense of discovery. That’s a great feeling.”