Commemoration of the Death of President Lincoln Set for April 6 at Mount Pulaski Courthouse

 

[April 02, 2019] 

Visitors are invited to the Mount Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site during the month of April to view a model of the recreation of the Abraham Lincoln hearse that carried President Lincoln to his final resting place at Springfield’s Oak Ridge Cemetery 154 years ago.

On Saturday, April 6, the Mount Pulaski Courthouse will host a reception with coffee and cookies from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. The creator of the Lincoln hearse model, Mr. Eugene Letterly, will be there to greet visitors during the reception.

During the reception and also throughout the month of April, there will be a display of pennies showing the changes made to the coin since 1909 when Abraham Lincoln first appeared on the penny. Also on display will be a booklet created by the Staab Funeral Home describing how the Lincoln hearse was recreated for the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's death in 2015. The recreated hearse is a replica of the original, which had burned a few years after Lincoln's death.

The model of the hearse along with two stage coaches were made by Gene Letterly, who lives in Latham, Illinois with his wife Frances in the home which he built.

Mr. Letterly, who farmed for 63 years, retired from farming following the death in a farm accident of one of his sons in 2002. Gene had already planned what he would do if he ever retired from farming. He had built an extra-large garage, using one part for his truck and the rest for a workshop.

During the last 17 years, Letterly has created an entire warehouse of folk art models of all the buildings in Latham, along with model tractors, a merry-go-round, a fire engine, a carousel, and a road grader.

The Mount Pulaski Courthouse has been an Illinois State Historic Site since 1939. It was built in 1847-48 by Mount Pulaski people out of local brick. From 1848 until 1855, it was one of 14 courthouses on Illinois’ 8th Judicial Circuit. Abraham Lincoln practiced law there from 1849 until 1855 when the Logan County seat was moved to the new town of Lincoln, Illinois. In the Mount Pulaski courtroom, visitors may walk on the same floor on which Abraham Lincoln walked.

The Mount Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site is open each Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. For more information, call 217-792-3919.

[Illinois Department of Natural Resources]