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 More than 600 people gathered in Lincoln’s hometown
for a memorial service that included sailors from the aircraft
carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Tributes to the 16th president flooded
social media, and Illinois legislators stopped their work to honor
him. Special events were held at the tomb where Lincoln is buried,
the capitol where he served as a legislator and the presidential
library dedicated to his life.
“Abraham Lincoln’s commitment to democracy and liberty continues to
inspire people around the world,” said Amy Martin, director of the
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. “It’s appropriate that we all
take a moment to remember his amazing life on the 150th anniversary
of his tragic death.”
The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency operates the Old State
Capitol State Historic Site, the Lincoln Tomb Historic Site and the
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, along with several
other Lincoln-related sites.
Lincoln was shot the night of April 14, 1865, and died the next
morning at 7:22.
 To begin the anniversary day, volunteers at the Lincoln Tomb lowered
the site’s flag at exactly 7:22 a.m. They turned it over to sailors
from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
The sailors then presented the flag to Gov. Bruce Rauner at noon
during a “Day of Remembrance” ceremony organized by the Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation.
“Illinois will forever be the land of Lincoln,” Rauner said.
He quoted from Lincoln’s Farewell Address expressing deep sadness at
leaving the people of Springfield when he set out for Washington on
Feb. 11, 1861.
“The sadness he felt at his parting was certainly less than the
sadness and loss felt by the people of Illinois and the nation at
his parting from this earth,” Rauner said. “If not for Abraham
Lincoln, we would not exist today as 50 united states, the United
States of America.”
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The ceremony also included a prayer by Command Chaplain Maurice
Buford of the USS Abraham Lincoln; music by Jim Cornelison, singer
for the Chicago Blackhawks, and Shades of Blue Brass from the Air
Force Band of Mid-America; and a keynote address on Lincoln’s humor
and humanity by comedian and Navy veteran Tom Dreesen.
Other anniversary events Wednesday included an additional ceremony
at the Lincoln Tomb, a display of furniture from Lincoln’s funeral
train at the Old State Capitol, and a presentation on building a
replica of Lincoln’s hearse at the Old State Capitol.
The Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum continues to present two
special exhibits related to the anniversary.
“Undying Words” focuses on Lincoln’s greatest speeches but also
includes the bed where he died and the gloves, now stained with
blood, that he was carrying at Ford’s Theatre. “A Fiendish
Assassination” presents artifacts connected to Lincoln’s death and
funeral, including two decorative medallions from his hearse.
For information on other events related to Lincoln’s death and the
end of the Civil War, visit http://bit.ly/LincolnAnniversaries.
[Chris Willis, Illinois Historic
Preservation Agency]
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