▁gave ▁the ▁nation ▁direction ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁years . ▁Although ▁Stephen ▁Douglas ▁won ▁the ▁election ▁and ▁retained ▁his ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁seat , ▁his ▁reply ▁to ▁a ▁question ▁on ▁sla very ▁al ien ated ▁the ▁South , ▁which ▁called ▁it ▁the ▁" Free port ▁Her es y ", ▁and ▁split ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁This ▁enabled ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Pres iden cy ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 . ▁ ▁A ▁monument ▁to ▁the ▁debate ▁was ▁dedicated ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁by ▁President ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t ▁and ▁stands ▁at ▁this ▁site . ▁A ▁life ▁size ▁statue ▁recre ating ▁the ▁event ▁was ▁dedicated ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁Another ▁ren owned ▁statue , ▁Lincoln ▁the ▁Deb ator ▁by ▁Leonard ▁C run elle , ▁is ▁a ▁foc al ▁point ▁in ▁the ▁city ' s ▁Taylor ▁Park . ▁In ▁many ▁years ▁there ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁re en act ment ▁of ▁the ▁debate , ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁shown ▁on ▁C - SP AN . ▁ ▁Free port ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" P ret zel ▁City ", ▁and ▁its ▁public ▁high ▁school ' s ▁team ▁is ▁named ▁the ▁P ret z els . ▁ ▁The ▁nick name ▁is ▁a ▁rem inder ▁of ▁Free port ' s ▁eth nic ▁her itage ; ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 5 0 s , ▁many ▁Germ ans , ▁both ▁from ▁Pennsylvania ▁and ▁from ▁their ▁European ▁hom eland , ▁res ett led ▁in ▁Steph enson ▁County ▁bringing ▁with ▁them ▁their