Rescheduled: Rails to Be Split at Lincoln High School Basketball Game Saturday

[February 06, 2008]  The Logan County Railsplitting Association is pleased to announce that an old tradition will be rekindled on Saturday. The association will bring representatives to the LCHS basketball game versus Springfield for a railsplitting demonstration between the sophomore and varsity games, between 6:45 and 7:15 p.m. The basketball game was rescheduled from last week due to weather conditions. Railsplitting Association member John Sutton will be on hand to split the rails, and he is looking forward to raising new interest in the Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting Contest and Crafts Festival.

The tradition of splitting rails at basketball games was halted years ago, but now, with the festival gaining momentum again and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial approaching, the goal is to increase awareness of Lincoln the Railsplitter. The festival, now in its 38th year, gives attendees a chance to look at life in Abraham Lincoln's time, as well as a chance to compete in events such as railsplitting, corn shelling, firewood splitting, crosscut sawing and tomahawk throwing. Also at the festival, there will be numerous craft vendors selling handmade items to the public.

The 38th annual Abraham Lincoln Railsplitting Contest and Crafts Festival will be Sept. 12-14 at the Logan County Fairgrounds. The Logan Railsplitting Association will also be working on several bicentennial activities throughout the year. For more information about the festival and the association, please visit www.railsplitting.com or call 217-732-8687.

[Text from file received from Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County]