Lincoln Trail Conference

The Lincoln Trail Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). The conference comprises public high schools with small enrollments in portions of Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, and Warren counties.

Current membership
Sources:IHSA Conferences and IHSA Member Schools Directory 

History
The Lincoln Trail Conference (LTC) was established in 1976. The eight charter members included Cambridge, Winola, and Alwood from the Corn Belt Conference; Alexis, Galva and ROVA from the Little 6 Conference; and Wethersfield and Toulon-LaFayette from the Blackhawk Conference.

Wethersfield played an independent schedule that first season and its first full conference slate wasn't until 1977. In 1988 Viola-Winola closed and Joy-Westmer replaced them in 1989. In 1992 Toulon consolidated with Wyoming and became known as Stark County. Alexis left briefly in 1993 and Annawan and Princeville joined in 1995. In 1998 Alexis was back in along with newcomers Biggsville Union and Monmouth Warren. The league divided into two divisions with Cambridge, Galva, Wethersfield, ROWVA, Princeville and Stark County in the East, and Alexis, Annawan, Biggsville, Westmer, Warren and Alwood in the West. In 2004 Alexis and Monmouth Warren consolidated forming Alexis United, and Biggsville Union left the loop to coop with Stronghurst Southern and the division set up was dropped. In 2005 Oneida ROWVA and Woodhull-Alwood co-oped in football and Biggsville Union rejoined under the name of West Central having consolidated with Stronghurst Southern. Football was not a conference sport from 2006–2009. During that time the Lincoln Trail Conference was a component of the West Prairie Trail mega conference for football only. The components of the West Prairie Trail conference were the West Central Conference, Prairieland Conference and Lincoln Trail Conference. The Lincoln Trail may reform as a football conference moving forward with the following teams: Annawan/Wethersfield co-op, Cambridge/AlWood co-op, Galva/Williamsfield co-op, Mercer County, Stark County, Princeville, Sciota West Prairie, West Central, and the River Valley co-op (Henry, Low Point-Washburn, Midland) which is not a member for other sports.

Prior to the advent of the Lincoln Trail Conference, the schools of the present day conference are known to have participated in several other conferences. During the life of the conference many changes have occurred, the following table and timeline summarize major events:

Timeline

 * 1976 – Lincoln Trial Conference forms with initial members Alexis, AlWood, Cambridge, Galva, ROVA, Toulon-LaFayette, Wethersfield, and Winola
 * 1987 – ROVA consolidates with Wataga students attending Galesburg to become ROWVA
 * 1988 – Winola leaves
 * 1989 – Westmer joins
 * 1992 – Toulon-LaFayette consolidates with Wyoming to become Stark County
 * 1993 – Alexis leaves
 * 1995 – Annawan and Princeville join
 * 1997 – Divisional east and west format adopted for boys football
 * 1998 – Alexis returns, Union joins, and Warren joins
 * 2004 – Union leaves, Alexis consolidates with Warren to become United, divisional format dropped for boys football
 * 2005 – West Central joins
 * 2006 – Aledo joins and boys football leaves to participate in the West Prairie Trail mega conference
 * 2007 – Yorkwood consolidates into United
 * 2009 – Aledo and Westmer consolidate to become Mercer County
 * 2010 – Boys football returns
 * 2021- Abingdon-Avon and Knoxville join from Prairieland Conference

Membership timeline
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Competitive success
The Lincoln Trail Conference has won 3 team state championships and 1 individual championship in IHSA sponsored athletics and activities. Through the 2008–2009 season the conference has won Illinois state titles in:
 * Boys Football (Wethersfield 2001–2002; United 2004–2005; Mercer County 2012–2013)
 * Girls Track and Field (West Central High School Theresa Brokaw Class A 1600 meter run 2006)

Prior to the advent of the Lincoln Trail Conference, or before joining the conference several member schools won Illinois state championships, including:
 * Boys Football (Aledo in the Olympic Conference 1998–1999, 2000–2001, 2002–2003)
 * Boys Golf (Aledo in the Olympic Conference 1984–1985)
 * Boys Track & Field (Bigssville 1898–1899, 1899–1900)

Cooperative arrangements
Due to the small enrollment, several Lincoln Trail Conference schools form cooperative arrangements. The current arrangements are shown below.

Boys Baseball Boys Basketball Girls Basketball Boys Cross Country Girls Cross Country Boys Football Girls Volleyball Boys Golf Girls Golf Boys Track and Field Girls Track and Field Girls Softball
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield
 * AlWood and Cambridge
 * Annawan and Wethersfield
 * ROWVA and Williamsfield