Lincoln Heritage Museum, a place where you will meet the most interesting people

[March 26, 2018] 

LINCOLN

One of the pleasures of volunteering at the Lincoln Heritage Museum at Lincoln College is getting to know some of the guests. The museum attracts visitors from all over the world and they usually have a great story to tell.

Several weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon, a couple stopped by during their Route 66 tour. Kerry and Gordon were from Perth, a city on the west coast of Australia.

The couple had been to the States many times and were doing the entire Route 66 tour, but in pieces, a bit at a time each visit.

Various Route 66 and Abraham Lincoln attractions in Logan County draw visitors from overseas, but there was more to this couple's story.

It was interesting to learn that Gordon was retired from the Australian space program. While their nation does not actually send satellites and manned missions into orbit, they do work hand-in-hand with the United State's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to monitor earth orbit missions when they pass over Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, and Australia.

The U.S. satellites are out of contact with NASA communications when transiting over that part of the world, and the Australian tracking program takes over. What a fascinating career.

On this particular trip, the couple was only going to do Route 66 for a few states and then head to Houston, the home of the United States space program. Gordon wanted to meet some of the people he had worked with from afar and see the base of United States space program.

Gordon did mention that he also worked as an emergency services volunteer in his home town. One of their other volunteers started a museum to honor the emergency services program. He said it had an audio-visual component like the Lincoln Heritage Museum second floor tour.

Well, it was similar, he revised, because he had not seen anything to match the amazing LHM audio-visual tour of Mr. Lincoln’s life.

Both the Aussies thoroughly enjoyed their time at the LHM. And then they were off for more adventures on the Mother Road.

The Lincoln Heritage Museum mission "is to interpret for the public the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln and the world in which he lived—particularly as it pertained to Illinois." The first floor features exhibits that showcase more than one hundred rare and original historic pieces that tell about the 16th President and the Civil War. A special experience awaits visitors to the second floor, which is an immersive audiovisual tour of key historical markers in the turbulent time leading to and during the Civil War, counting down to the death of the President.

Curtis Fox serves as a volunteer host at the Lincoln Heritage Museum.

[Curtis Fox/LDN]

The Lincoln Heritage Museum is located on the campus of Lincoln College, 1115 Nicholson Rd, Lincoln, IL 62656.
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Closed: Sundays & Lincoln College holidays and breaks.
Phone: [phone] or local [phone] for further information.