[MARCH 27, 2006] Paul Gleason, chairman of the Logan County
Board's tourism committee, said that plans are falling into place
for some big celebrations of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday.
Locally, the Lincoln Heritage Days, which is celebrated
annually with Fourth of July festivities, is building toward a big
celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday in 2009. This year's
celebration is set to begin on July 1. Several days of activities
are being planned to run through July 4 in hopes of drawing people
in from around the county.
A special storytelling and activities about Abraham Lincoln's
life in Kentucky and Indiana is planned at the Lincoln Public
Library on July 1 for 5- to 12-year-olds.
The national celebration will take place over a three-year
period. The kickoff begins in Kentucky in 2008. The big bash will be
at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009. And Springfield will probably host
the post-celebration in 2010 at the Lincoln Home, the presidential
library and museum, and the tomb.
I think this county is really blessed to have four people on the
national advisory committee -- Lincoln College President Hutchinson,
Paul Beaver, Lincoln College Museum curator Ron Keller and himself
-- Gleason said.
There's been a lot of talk in the last few years to increase
tourism, and this is how you increase tourism: by getting people
involved, things that will get people to come in, he said.
Every little bit of exposure to Abraham Lincoln helps. Gleason
said they are looking for ideas for the 2009 big bash in Lincoln. If
anyone has any ideas, just jot them down. I don't care how big it
is, (hesitation) maybe other than the big old statue, he said.
