 Lincoln also grew to comprise the previous settlements of Downingsville and West, South, and Center Lincoln, bringing it to its present area of 44 square miles.The town's proximity to the New Haven River has caused numerous destructive floods in its history, in 1830, 1869, 1938, 1976 and 1998.In 1919, Lincoln-born businessman Walter S. Burnham left a significant endowment to the town in his will, resulting in the creation of the Burnham Trust, a fund intended to "be expended for educational, charitable, and musical purposes."