Old State Capitol honors veterans of yesterday and today to mark
Gettysburg Address anniversary
150th
anniversary observance Nov. 11-19
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[November 06, 2013]
SPRINGFIELD -- The Old State
Capitol State Historic Site will mark the 150th anniversary of the
Gettysburg Address this month with a display of more than 3,500
flags and with a special "Remembrance Day" ceremony to honor the
soldiers of yesterday and today.
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The "Hallowed Ground" display of flags runs Nov. 11-19. The display
will consist of 3,512 small flags planted on the Old State Capitol
grounds -- one flag for each marked grave at the Soldiers' National
Cemetery at Gettysburg. Visitors will be able to tie ribbons to the
flags to honor loved ones who have served in the military. The
display takes its name from Abraham Lincoln's famous address at the
dedication of the Gettysburg cemetery on Nov. 19, 1863. He said: "In
a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we
can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who
struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add
or detract."
The free "Hallowed Ground" exhibit begins Nov. 11, Veterans Day,
at 9 a.m. The 114th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry
(Re-activated) will raise a flag on the Old Capitol lawn prior to
the start of the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Springfield.
Then, on Nov. 16, the Old State Capitol will be the scene of the
special Remembrance Day ceremony at 2 p.m. to honor those who have
given their lives fighting in all wars. Remembrance Day is a
tradition in the town of Gettysburg, Penn. The observance is on the
Saturday closest to Nov. 19, the anniversary of the address.
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The free Old State Capitol event begins with the 114th Regiment
Illinois Volunteer Infantry presenting colors, followed by a message
from Jerry Kowalski, national chaplain for the Sons of Union
Veterans of the Civil War.
The Lincoln Troubadours will perform music from the 1860s. The
Old State Capitol Chorale will sing patriotic selections,
accompanied by the144th Army Band of the Illinois National Guard.
The tribute is part of the Illinois Historic Preservation
Agency's commemoration of the Gettysburg Address sesquicentennial,
which includes events at the Lincoln Presidential Library and
Museum, the Old State Capitol, and the Lincoln Log Cabin. For
details, visit www.GettysburgAddress150.com.
The
Old State Capitol State Historic Site, administered by the
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is regularly open Tuesday
through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The site will be open Nov.
11-16 and 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for this special event.
[Text from file received from the
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency] |