Flashback: Illinois Woman Sees Lincoln’s Face In A Clump Of Dirt

While certainly not the most attractive man to ever walk the face of the Earth, Abraham Lincoln is certainly one of the most recognizable, especially here in Illinois. You can see Lincoln's face on the penny, on the $5 bill, and splashed all over governmental buildings throughout Illinois and the nation.

It also seems that if you look closely, you can see his face on the floor you just swept.

Sorry, Mr. Lincoln. (Getty Images)

If You're Looking For Lincoln, It's Helpful If You're Sweeping A Floor In Springfield

According to a piece published at MentalFloss.com in 2019, Lori Eileen Day was sweeping the wood floor of a Springfield, Illinois home that at one time was the location of Mary Todd Lincoln's hairdresser. The house also just happens to be about a block from where Abe and Mary lived.

After finishing the sweeping, Lori Eileen Day looked down at the accumulated pile of dust and dirt...and knew immediately she had something that she needed to share with the rest of the world on Facebook:

Normally, I'm skeptical of these sorts of things, but...I'm with her, it looks like Lincoln's head.

Less dusty, but it's a match. (Getty Images)

Crazy hair, but it still looks like the clump of dirt. (Getty Images)

Seeing Faces In Objects Is Known As Pareidolia, And It's Pretty Common

That's because, according to the experts, our brains are very, very good at recognizing faces. So much so that we have a tendency to find faces in nearly anything, whether it's clouds, flocks of birds, electrical outlets, tortillas, etc. The MentalFloss.com piece points out the neurotic people are more likely to have this happen to them.

It's always fun with food, though. Here are a few more that I found:

LOOK: Food history from the year you were born

From product innovations to major recalls, Stacker researched what happened in food history every year since 1921, according to news and government sources.

See How School Cafeteria Meals Have Changed Over the Past 100 Years

Using government and news reports, Stacker has traced the history of cafeteria meals from their inception to the present day, with data from news and government reports. Read on to see how various legal acts, food trends, and budget cuts have changed what kids are getting on their trays.

Source: Flashback: Illinois Woman Sees Lincoln’s Face In A Clump Of Dirt