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 Every year LDN chronicles the events and
happenings in Logan County, and when we look back through the
stories we have produced, we realize that once again it has indeed
been a busy year.
So, it is with this sage advice that LDN is
offering our readers an opportunity to look back at what happened in
2013 as 2014 is quickly coming upon us.
From the viewpoint of progress and achievement,
2013 was absolutely one of the best, busiest years ever for Logan
County residents.
From a perspective of gratitude, LDN credits
the citizenship for living full-out with passion and compassion.
In our look back, we'll skim just a few of the
many events and happenings that LDN reported that are now part of
our history.
Our local governments, fire and protection
services, law enforcement from the streets to the courts
outperformed themselves, bringing forth justice through crime
prevention, investigation, criminal apprehension and a successful
conclusion to a significant court trial in 2013.
School administrators, boards, teachers and
students put forth their best and impressed us when it counted
most. The schools have received a needed funding shot in the arm
with support from a voter-approved tax.
As always, our boys' and girls' sports teams
throughout the county did us proud.
Local organizations and agencies went above and
beyond in coordinating spotlight events and attractions, from Elkhart
receiving a Midwest Living magazine spread on spring attractions on the
hill to the phenomenal Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival that
annually brings visitors from far and wide.
Individuals, charities and groups
knocked it out of the ballpark with fundraisers from breakfasts to
auctions, raising funds all year for many purposes, from helping save
pets, to paying medical bills and providing support for families
with a member battling serious illness or with injuries, to
contributing to research into killer diseases, and much more.
Many residents worked all year using talents to
make salable products to aid local or global hunger and disaster
relief efforts, or to build walks and structures at a new center
that teaches about protecting the environment, or ramps for
disabled.
Acts of kindness could be found everywhere in
many forms, whether shelter in cooling centers from extreme weather heat, rescue or shelter from a winter storm, to crafting
patriotic Quilts of Valor for veterans.
Logan County residents can proudly claim
"paying it forward" as a local mantra.
We hope that you, too, will see that much was
accomplished in 2013 and feel a sense of pride and appreciation for
your leaders, for your neighbors and for yourself as you
contributed, whether you bought a chicken dinner to fund fireworks,
just smiled at a visitor following the historic Route 66 or Looking
for Lincoln trail, or by dropping a little change in the kettle to
help local families.
Mount Pulaski Courthouse
In our look back today, we begin by remembering
some big things that happened in Mount Pulaski. There were many
activities and individuals that accomplished much in this community
this past year, but for this moment, we'll just spotlight the Mount
Pulaski Courthouse.
The courthouse is a big part of Logan County's
history. What happens to it now makes a difference in Logan County's
future.
The first county seat and courthouse in Logan
County was in Postville, which is now a part of Lincoln. The county
seat moved to Mount Pulaski and a new courthouse was built there in 1848.
Abraham Lincoln practiced law in both those
courthouses and in the next courthouse, which was built in Lincoln
when the county seat moved once again in 1855.
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What the people of Mount Pulaski did this
past year to secure the future of the only remaining original
courthouse structure was nothing short of amazing. There were
huge surprises at every turn between March and December.
The residents of Mount Pulaski demonstrated how
hard they are willing to work to preserve this historic treasure.
In Mount Pulaski, they are raising their kids
right. Who will forget those amazing third-graders who inspired the
community with their belief, "Kids can make a difference!" The
children boldly paved the way. The kids recognized the courthouse as
a heritage that must be preserved.
Beginning in March, the children launched
an attention-getting, highly successful, nationwide campaign, "Save
the Courthouse," inspiring the whole community to get on board and
tackle what began as a seemingly insurmountable task.
Mount Pulaski 3rd-graders' stunning
'Courthouse Cash' raises praises
CLICK HERE
The Mount Pulaski Courthouse responsibilities
were taken over from the state in 2012 in order to preserve this
essential part of Logan County history. Mount Pulaski citizens,
under the auspices of the Mount Pulaski Courthouse Foundation, began
raising funds to restore the rapidly deteriorating structure for its
preservation for future generations.
The Mount Pulaski Courthouse is on both the
state and national Looking for Lincoln tourism trails.
This year the foundation attained a federal
grant as part of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area that
would help with inside humidity control and to support volunteer
work on the structure, which was then celebrated with a street fest
on June 28.
3 Logan County groups receive Looking for
Lincoln Heritage Coalition grants
CLICK HERE
Mount Pulaski sees a near-perfect night for a
street fair
Article written by Phil Bertoni tells the story of a
rainbow-graced evening.
CLICK HERE
The street fair included a 5K fundraiser for
Michael Stauffer, who is beating cancer.
Photos
and captions by LDN Cady Lowery.
Album 1 | Album
2 |
Album 3
In October, the work completed in the
courthouse was being celebrated and enjoyed.
Mount Pulaski
Courthouse gives back to the community through a Halloween party
CLICK HERE
The year was capped by the Christmas Festival
of Trees fundraiser.
CLICK HERE
Saving the best for last, there was reason for
more big celebration during the festival when it was announced that
Waldo and Rosalie Bertoni secured the courthouse future for some
years by leaving $250,000 to the courthouse foundation.
CLICK
HERE
[LDN]
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