Lincoln Library's summer program closes with giggles

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[July 20, 2013]  The final event of "Have Book -- Will Travel," Lincoln Public Library's Summer Reading Program, was an exciting scavenger hunt in downtown Lincoln.

Thursday morning, nine teams gathered at the library Annex to receive a briefing from Ms. Lou, children's librarian. The official timepiece was the library's grandfather clock. At the last bong of 10 a.m., the teams grabbed their clue packets and headed out.

There were two tasks: finding downtown Lincoln landmarks and a separate photo task.

The downtown historical district has 33 buildings on the courthouse square that have been designated as having special architectural or historic significance. There are 56 notable or contributing buildings. Besides the main library being an Andrew Carnegie building with Tiffany dome (1902), within just a few blocks are the Lincoln Theater, which opened on Abraham Lincoln's birthday in 1923; the Logan County Courthouse (1905) and its stained-glass dome; just outside Beans & Such, on the Kickapoo Street side of the square, is a historical marker for Samuel C. Parks' law office, where he partnered with Abraham Lincoln; and on McLean Street is the Lincoln post office (1912). Also of note as significant are Lincoln City Hall and Fire Department and the Scully Building, both built during the last decade of the 19th century. Lincoln's City Hall opened to the public on March 2, 1896, and features the oldest working fire department building in the state of Illinois.

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The participants in the scavenger hunt included not only kids but a number of families as well.

Everyone had to be back at the last stroke of 11 a.m. on the grandfather clock.

There were plenty of giggles to go around, and not just from the excited kids. The parents were having as much fun as their young readers.

[By CURT FOX / LDN]

Learn more about historic downtown Lincoln

 

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