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While
visiting in
Logan County:
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Special
Events
in and around
Logan County
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Upcoming events
Recent events
Events in months past
Annual celebrations
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Lincoln
Sesquicentennial week events
Thursday, Friday and
Saturday, Aug. 21-23, 2003:
Kickoffs
Sunday, Aug. 24:
Postville – “Where It All
Began” Day
Monday, Aug. 25:
Lincoln Heritage Day
Tuesday, Aug. 26:
Business & Industry Day
Wednesday, Aug. 27:
Lincoln Founders Day
Thursday, Aug. 28:
Agriculture Day
Friday, Aug. 29:
Education Day
Saturday, Aug. 30:
Homecoming Day
Sunday, Aug. 31:
Religious Day
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Sesquicentennial schedule
and funding begin to firm up
[JAN.
17, 2003]
Two main-stage bands have
been contracted for the Lincoln Sesquicentennial, dance lessons are
available, and fund-raising efforts are paying off, organizers
learned Wednesday night.
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Set for the main stage on Broadway
Street Friday, Aug. 29, is American English, with its energetic
tribute to the Beatles. The Sesquicentennial Committee was wowed by
the group's tape at an earlier meeting.
On Saturday, Aug. 30 the Creagles take
over the Broadway stage. Get set to enjoy two special tributes, one
to Credence Clearwater and the other to the Eagles.
A military band or symphony orchestra
on Sunday, Aug. 31, will round out the closing weekend of the
celebration. Greg Pelc, chair of the music and technical systems
committees, expects to have several more stages in the downtown area
and is talking to local and regional musicians to complete the
roster of talent.
Also in the technical area, Kevin Franz
is working to bring the celebration's website up to speed. Soon
anyone who wants to know the plans for a particular day between
Aug. 21 and 31 can visit
lincolnillinois.org for the full scoop. Franz also announced
plans for Tia Wind to photograph a video diary of Lincoln's 150th
birthday party.
Knights of Columbus Grand Knight Tom
Peifer presented a $5,000 check to Sesquicentennial treasurer Paul
Short at Wednesday night's meeting. The money will go toward funding
the performances of American English and the Creagles. The KCs will
have the beer concession during the Friday and Saturday
performances.
Other recent sponsors include Memorial
Hospital and State Bank of Lincoln, each completing a $5,000
donation in December, and an anonymous donor of $10,000. Half the
offering from the recent Community of Thanks concert held at Lincoln
Community High School went toward the city's 150th birthday party as
well. Short reported a balance of just under $10,000 before
Wednesday's donations were received.
The schedule of activities is firming
up. Though not technically part of the sesquicentennial, the Art and
Balloon Festival, from Thursday, Aug. 21, to Sunday, Aug. 24, will
get everyone in a celebratory mood. Also on Aug. 21, in the first
sesquicentennial event, Clarice Boswell of Plainfield will speak in
the courthouse on the use of quilts by the Underground Railroad. Her
speech will set the stage for a Civil War and Underground Railroad
quilt show in the courthouse rotunda Aug. 21-24. Another early event
is an 1860s craft show planned for Saturday the 23rd on the
Postville Courthouse lawn. Shirley Bartelmay, in charge of the show,
said she is seeking diversified crafts.
Sunday, Aug. 24, is billed as Where It
All Began Day and centers on the Postville area. At 5 p.m. the newly
restored Abraham Lincoln Well will be dedicated. A $10,000 Member
Initiative grant sponsored by former state Sen. Bob Madigan will
fund the restoration.
After the dedication come the crowning
of the Sesquicentennial queen and an ice cream social, both at
Postville Park. Pat Geskey, queen committee chair, said girls ages
14-18 with Lincoln addresses are eligible. The winner will be the
one who sells the most ice cream social tickets at $1 apiece. Sales
start June 24. Siltennial (125th anniversary) queen Pamela Geskey
Shattuck will crown the winner. Centennial queen Mary Buckles
Roberts will also attend.
On Monday, Aug. 25, a panel of
historians will speak at Lincoln College. Their topics are Lincoln
the city and Lincoln the man. Panelists include state archivist Dr.
Wayne Temple; Dr. Mark Plummer, history department chair at Illinois
State University; and local historians Paul Beaver and Paul Gleason.
Ron Keller, director of the Lincoln College Museum, will moderate.
Beaver and Gleason also plan to compose
a chronology of significant events in the city since the centennial.
In addition, reprints are planned of the Lincoln centennial book and
Beaver's history of the Scully family.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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Tuesday, Aug. 26, will feature an 1860s
baseball game between local sports standouts and the Ground
Squirrels. Wednesday will see a re-enactment of the town christening
near the train depot and a free watermelon feed at Latham Park. Food
is also on the agenda for Thursday, with a community dinner and corn
feed. Tuesday is dedicated to business and industry and Thursday to
agriculture.
Friday, Aug. 29, is education day.
The evening features the downtown area, with an ethnic festival in
Scully Park and American English on the main stage providing
Beatles-type music.
A morning parade on Saturday, Aug. 30,
will move from old Postville to downtown Lincoln. Twelve Lincoln
presenters from outside the county have inquired about participating
in the parade, along with a couple of Mary Todds. Many bands are
invited, and committee chairs Roger Matson and Don Vinson are
seeking a band judge.
For the afternoon, specialty contest
chair Charles Ott is planning contests for pigtails, beards and
Lincoln look-alikes from Logan County. Ott also expects to print up
cards which exempt the holder from growing a beard. Cost of such a
card 50 years ago at the Lincoln centennial was $5. Those who opt
for the beard instead become Brothers of the Brush. In 1953 a
similar program for women, called Sisters of the Swish, required
women who did not wear long skirts to buy an exemption card.
Re-enactment chair Ron Keller said the
33rd Infantry Civil War band is set to march in the parade and also
provide music for a Civil War ball Saturday night. Dance lessons
with Bonnie Knieriem of Mason City are being set up for those who
want to be up on the Virginia reel and nine other period steps for
the ball. Knieriem will offer instruction in six-lesson sequences,
each lesson one to one and a half hours long. She welcomes all ages,
with or without a partner, and says what she teaches is simple --
more like romping than dancing. Dances taught will include the grand
march, waltz and patty-cake polka. Proper etiquette and attire for
the occasion are also on the agenda.
Anyone interested in joining a dance
class should call Ron Keller at 732-3155, Ext. 295. Cost is in the
range of $12-15 per person or $20-25 per couple for the six
sessions. Keller is also working on a living history encampment and
battle re-enactment.
Saturday night also features
performances in the downtown area, with the Creagles on the main
stage.
The birthday party concludes on Sunday
with a chicken dinner followed by an interdenominational church
service at 3 p.m. The Rev. Dr. David Hultberg of Sherman will preach
from horseback as a circuit rider. Local clergy will participate in
the service, and children's and adult choirs will provide music.
The day and week will end with a
concert on and near the courthouse lawn. A symphony orchestra or
military band is being sought. Organizers would like to top it all
off with fireworks but because of the fire hazard may opt for a
laser light show instead.
Speeches by dignitaries, other events
and displays will round out the celebration. As an example, Layman
Gallery at Lincoln College will showcase an Underground Railroad
exhibit Aug. 16-Sept. 6. A black history display is also planned.
People are
encouraged to get into the spirit of the sesquicentennial by donning
period clothing. Patterns are available for those who would like to
sew their own. Anyone wishing to purchase 1850s clothing from R & K Sutlery in Lincoln should place an order soon. The phone is 732-8844
and the website is www.sutlery.com.
[Lynn
Spellman]
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Sites
to See
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"Three
projects, a dinner
and a birthday party planned
for J. H. Hawes Grain Elevator," posted April 6, 2001, in LDN
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"Elkhart
prepares for Chautauqua guests," posted May 2, 2001, in
LDN
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"Lincoln
Public Library keeps its history alive," posted May 26,
2000, in LDN
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"‘Crown jewel' found in Lincoln — Lincoln's well at Postville,"
posted May 19, 2001, in LDN
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"Middletown
Stagecoach Inn dedicated," posted July 5, 2001, in LDN
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‘Walking
on the Path of Abraham Lincoln'
A
walking tour of historic Lincoln, Ill.
Note: The following
material is from a brochure produced as a high school project by J.R.
Glenn and Angie Couch for Main Street Lincoln.
The Main Street
Lincoln office and local tourist information center is on the second
floor of Union Planter's Bank at 303 S. Kickapoo.
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[Click here for larger map]
1. Town christening
site
Broadway
and Chicago streets
In August 1853
the first sale of lots in the new town of Lincoln took place near this spot.
Abraham Lincoln, in whose honor the town was named, was in attendance. When
asked on the day of the land sale to officially "christen the town,"
Lincoln obliged. Lifting the cover off a pile of watermelons stacked on the
ground by a local farmer, Lincoln picked up a melon and conducted a brief
ceremony using its juice. Lincoln, Ill., is the only town named for Lincoln
before he became president.
2. Lincoln railroad
depot
101 N.
Chicago St.
Abraham Lincoln
frequented this city by train after its founding. As president-elect, Lincoln
came hereon Nov. 21, 1860. He stopped near this spot to make a few remarks from
the rear of his train. This was his last speech in Logan County and the last
time Lincoln would visit his namesake city. His funeral train stopped here on
May 3, 1865. The current depot was built several decades later, in 1911.
3. State Bank of
Lincoln
111 N.
Sangamon St.
Abraham Lincoln
met sculptor Leonard Volk for the first time on the boardwalk in front of the
Lincoln House Hotel. Volk asked Lincoln to pose for a bust and life mask of his
face and hands. Signed copies of the life masks by Volk, as well as original
artwork by Lloyd Ostendorf of Lincoln in Logan County, are on display in this
bank building's lobby.
4. Site of the
Lincoln House Hotel
501
Broadway St.
The Lincoln
House, one of the grandest hotels between St. Louis and Chicago, stood on this
spot from 1854 to 1870. All the political luminaries of the day, including
Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, David Davis and Richard Oglesby, crossed
its threshold at one time or another The Lincoln House was a two-story frame
structure that fronted the railroad tracks and featured a large veranda.
5. Robert Latham
home site
400 N.
Kickapoo St.
Robert B.
Latham joined John D. Gillett and Virgil Hickox in founding the town of Lincoln
in 1853. Abraham Lincoln, other lawyers and judges were often guests at his
house.
6. Logan County
Courthouse
When Lincoln
became the county seat in 1853, a courthouse was built on this spot. A second
courthouse was built in 1858 and remained in use until the early 20th century,
when it was replaced with the current building. Abraham Lincoln practiced law
and attended political functions in the first two courthouses built on the
square. A statue of Lincoln stands in this courthouse. A Civil War monument and
cannon sit on the north side of the courthouse grounds.
7. Lincoln lot site
523
Pulaski St.
A plaque
located on the right-hand side of this store identifies the location as a lot
Lincoln once owned. James Primm, in need of money, approached former Illinois
Gov. Joel Matteson for a $400 advance. Matteson directed him to have Lincoln
sign a note as Primm's guarantor. Lincoln co-signed the note. Later Primm
defaulted and Lincoln had to pay the note. Eventually Primm deeded Lincoln this
property in recompense.
[to top of second column in
this section]
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8. Rustic Inn
412
Pulaski St.
In 1876 members
of a counterfeiting gang met here to hatch a plot to steal Lincoln's corpse from
its burial vault in Springfield. The gang had planned to hide Lincoln's body in
the Indiana sand dunes on the shore of Lake Michigan and negotiate with the
governor of Illinois for $200,000 in cash and the release of Ben Boyd. The
bartender at the Rustic Inn overheard the plot and reported it to the
authorities. The Secret Service later apprehended the gang members. Robert Todd
Lincoln had his father's coffin encased in several tons of cement to prevent
future attempts to steal the body.
Other Lincoln sites
in Lincoln
9. Stephen A.
Douglas speech site
Comer of
Fourth and Logan streets
Stephen Douglas
visited this city during the famous 1858 Illinois senatorial campaign. Douglas
paraded with all his supporters through the decorated streets to the tent that
was pitched on this site. Lincoln, who was also in town, listened to his
opponent from the back of the crowd. In the end, a majority of Logan County
voters favored Lincoln, but Douglas won the 1858 election.
10. Postville
Courthouse
914 Fifth
St.
This state
historic site is a replica of an 1840 courthouse where Lincoln argued, won and
lost cases while he traveled the 8th Judicial Circuit.
11. Site of Deskins
Tavern
915 Fifth
St.
Lincoln often
stayed at Deskins Tavern when he traveled to Postville. A well where he quenched
his thirst is also at this site.
12. Postville Park
1300
Fifth St.
Abraham Lincoln
was well-known for his athletic abilities, and he frequently joined in games of
"town ball" at this village park.
13. Lincoln College
and Museum
300
Keokuk St.
A nationally
registered landmark, Lincoln College was founded and named for President Lincoln
on Feb. 12, 1865. The museum houses an extensive collection of memorabilia on
the life of Abraham Lincoln.
[See "LC Museum named one of 10 best Lincoln-related sites in Illinois"]
Other sites of
interest in downtown Lincoln
Lincoln Public
Library (a Carnegie building)
725 Pekin St.
Logan County
Genealogical
& Historical Society
114 N. Chicago St.
Lincoln City Hall
700 Broadway St.
U.S. Post Office
102 S. McLean St.
Courthouse Square
Historic District
including historic sites, restaurants
and shops
[Click here for larger map]
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Logan
County historical landmarks
Atlanta
J.
H. Hawes wooden country elevator. Open Sunday afternoons June through
August. Free.
Atlanta
Public Library and Museum. On National Register of Historic Places.
Built in 1908. Comer of Race and Arch. Phone (217) 648-2112. Free.
Chestnut
Monument
proclaims the geographic center of the state of Illinois. Town was
laid out in 1872.
Elkhart
Elkhart
Cemetery. Richard J. Oglesby, who was elected governor of Illinois in
1864, 1872 and 1884, is buried here; also John Dean Gillett, known as the
"Cattle King of the World," and Capt. Adam Bogardus, wing shot
champion of the world. For tours of the cemetery and John Dean Gillett
Chapel, please phone (217) 947-2238.
Emden
Bethel
Church. Built in 1854. Three miles from Route 136 between Emden and
Atlanta on County Road 20.
Lincoln
Site
of Deskins Tavern. Across the street from Postville Courthouse, 915
Fifth St. Signage. Free.
Site
of well Abraham Lincoln drank from. Across the street from Postville
Courthouse, 915 Fifth St. Free.
Site
of town christening by Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 27, 1853. Lincoln was
the first community in the United States to be named for Abraham Lincoln
before he became famous. Also, Lincoln's funeral train stopped here on May
3,1865. Located at the south side of the Lincoln Depot, Broadway and
Chicago streets. Official Looking for Lincoln signage. Free.
Logan
County Courthouse. Contains second-largest courtroom in Illinois.
Built in 1905. Located on the courthouse square, downtown Lincoln. Open 8
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturday until noon. Phone (217)
732-6400. Free.
Lincoln
College Museum. Over 3,000 historic items. Lincoln College was founded
and named for President Lincoln on Feb. 12, 1865. Keokuk and Ottawa
streets. Summer hours: 9 to 4 Monday through Friday; 1 to 4 Saturday and
Sunday; closed May 28 and July 4. Free.
Heritage
In Flight Museum. Museum is filled with memorabilia from all U.S.
military conflicts back to World War I. Located at the Logan County
Airport. Phone ahead (217) 732-3333 to confirm hours. Free but donations
accepted.
Lincoln
Public Library. Original Carnegie library built in 1902. Tiffany-style
glass inner dome. 725 Pekin St. Open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 8
p.m.; Friday, 9 to 6; Saturday, 9 to 3. Phone (217) 732-8878. Free.
Postville
Courthouse State Historic Site. Guided tours. 914 Fifth St. Noon to 5
p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Ph. (217) 732-8930 for additional
information. Free but donations accepted.
Middletown
Stagecoach Inn. The inn was on the old stage route from Springfield to
Peoria. Built mid-1800s. Village is also famous for its aeronautical
history. Free.
Mount Pulaski
Mount
Pulaski Courthouse. This building is one of only two original 8th
Judicial Circuit courthouses in Illinois. On National Register of Historic Places.
Was Logan County Courthouse from 1847 to 1855. Guided tours. Open 12 to 5
Tuesday through Saturday. Phone (217) 732-8930. Free.
[Link
to historical information on communities in Logan County]
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Heritage
In Flight Museum open Wednesday-Sunday
A
little-known historical site full of large and small treasures sits
on the outskirts of town on the Logan County Airport property. The
Heritage In Flight Museum building itself is a part of history. It
is a remnant of Camp Ellis, located west of Havana, which was the
largest military training and prisoner-of-war camp in the United
States during World War II. After the war the camp was closed and
the buildings were sold. Logan County Airport is fortunate to have
one of the few remaining structures from Camp Ellis.
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A
little-known historical site full of large and small treasures sits
on the outskirts of town on the Logan County Airport property. The
Heritage In Flight Museum building itself is a part of history. It
is a remnant of Camp Ellis, located west of Havana, which was the
largest military training and prisoner-of-war camp in the United
States during World War II. After the war the camp was closed and
the buildings were sold. Logan County Airport is fortunate to have
one of the few remaining structures from Camp Ellis.
Several
historic items are found outside at the airport, including the
rotating beacon, the green-and-white light that identifies the
airport location to pilots flying at night. Before being moved to
Logan County Airport, it was part of the lighted airway system that
the airmail pilots in the 1920s used to navigate at night. The one
that now resides here was originally located between Lincoln and
Atlanta and provided a bright signal for Charles Lindbergh when he
flew the airmail route between St. Louis and Chicago.
While
outside you can also view a number of aircraft that are on display
from various time periods.
Moving
to the inside, you find that the Heritage in Flight Museum is filled
with items of aviation history from the military and civilian
branches of flying and from the earliest days of open-cockpit
biplanes to the latest jets. Veterans who reside in Logan County
have donated much of what the museum has. Families from the
community have donated items that belonged to our war heroes,
revealing special sentiments, symbolism and forgotten practices that
held a community together in war times. Other items offer a look at
early technology such as the airplane and ship radios. Of the
thousands of items in the museum, each can be said to teach us
something about our past. Visitors can relive history through the
numerous displays, mostly grouped in wartime periods, and gain a
strong sense of patriotism while studying military displays
throughout the building.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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A
guided tour is recommended to get the most from these displays. The
volunteers are both knowledgeable and passionate about their subject
matter and will bring to light little-known nuances that make the
displays fascinating.
The
museum is always interested in adding items of aviation history. Its
greatest need, however, is for more volunteers to help in the
guardianship of this important gateway to Lincoln and Logan County.
The
museum requires lots of care and maintenance. Members are always
looking for interested people of all ages to help care for it, share
their interests and preserve a bit of aviation history.
Heritage
In Flight Museum is operated by an all-volunteer, nonprofit
organization: Heritage-In-Flight, Inc. You are invited to come meet
the members and sit in on their meetings anytime. Meetings take
place at 1 p.m. the first Saturday of each month in the terminal
meeting room.
The
museum is a great resource to educate our youth about our
aeronautical and military past and shares the wealth of military
traditions from a community and national perspective. Schools, youth
groups and families are welcome.
Heritage
In Flight Museum
1351
Airport Road, Lincoln
Open
Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone:
(217) 732-3333
Call
the airport and leave a message to request a guided tour, schedule a
time during the week or ask for more information.
Also visit
www.heritageinflight.org.
[LDN]
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You
can read more about HIF from the archives of LDN. Go to http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2001/Feb/15/comunity/business.shtml#Logan
County is host to a unique museum rich in special military stories
and treasures
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Entertainment
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Recreation
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Parks
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Dining
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Blue Dog Inn
111 S. Sangamon
Lincoln
735-1743
Monday 11-2
Tuesday-Thursday 11-10
Friday & Saturday 11-11
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Wendy's
2815 Woodlawn Road
Lincoln
735-1011
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Transportation
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Maps
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Community
Information
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Links
to Other Tourism Sites in Illinois
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