According to Kathy Vinyard, who works at City Hall, the project will
be a scavenger hunt of sorts that requires looking for QR codes,
scanning them to learn a bit of local history, then looking for the
hidden Lincoln portrait that will be close by. Vinyard said the
project is a cooperative effort between the city of Lincoln, the
Lincoln Park District and local artist Chris Tice.
On Aug. 27, 1853, Abraham Lincoln, before he was president,
christened the city of Lincoln with juice from a watermelon. It is a
piece of the town's history that everyone knows and is happy to
share with those who may be unaware.
To commemorate that special day, Vinyard said the "Hidden
Lincoln" project is starting with 27 Lincolns. However, over the
next few years, the group intends to grow the collection to a total
of 53 to signify the year of the christening.
Roy Logan of the Lincoln Park District provided the following
explanation of how the project will work:
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There will be 27 QR codes displayed in
store windows, on sidewalks and even on a Looking for Lincoln sign!
Scan this with your smart phone and it will link you to a
site–specific web page where you will learn the significance of your
location and how it relates to our President or the city of Lincoln
itself. Read through the informative text and you'll find some
trivia questions and clues to finding your next "Hidden Lincoln."
Now you are on your way! Throughout downtown there are "Hidden
Lincoln" silhouettes. There are 27 of these large silhouettes of our
16th President that will be painted or displayed as a window cling
high and low, in alleys and on the exterior walls of our downtown
buildings. Searching to find QR codes and silhouettes in Historic
downtown will make this a great family friendly adventure.
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Vinyard said that to help keep the search family-friendly and
kid-friendly, the group sought out assistance from students at
Adams, Central and Washington-Monroe schools. They asked the
students to write down questions they would ask the president or ask
about our town.
Vinyard said the trivia is fun and informative. For example: What
was Abraham Lincoln's middle name? Or, how many bricks are in a
one-block brick street?
Vinyard said all 27 Lincolns are in place, and the QR codes will
be coming very soon. Be sure to keep an eye out for them, and in the
meantime, play a game of "I spy" and see if you can find all 27
portraits.
[By NILA SMITH]
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