Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration This Weekend
By: Web Producer
Updated: May 9, 2008
News Release:
From: Spencer County Visitor Bureau
Indiana Kicks Off Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration This Weekend
What: A weekend-long event to celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s upcoming 200th Birthday will occur May 10-11 in Lincoln City, Ind. The area now known as Lincoln City was home to Abraham Lincoln and his family from 1816 to 1830. Today this site, where Lincoln’s mother and sister are buried, is preserved as Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and Lincoln State Park.
When: Saturday, May 10: Lincoln Bicentennial Scout Encampment
· More than 3,600 boy and girl scouts from three states will take part
· Activities include a Civil War encampment, Native American encampment, black powder rifle shooting, frontier medicine demonstration and President Lincoln re-enactment.
· A similar camp out was held for Lincoln’s 150th Birthday in 1958.
Sunday, May 11: Lincoln Bicentennial Mother’s Day Celebration
This event is FREE. Beginning at 1 p.m. CDT, the Red Bank Reunion Band will play Civil War-era music in period military costume. The Lincoln Bicentennial Mother’s Day Celebration ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. CDT and include music, a drama performance, speakers and a wreath-laying ceremony.
· Featured speakers. Gov. Mitch Daniels, Congressman Baron Hill and Joan Flinspach, C.E.O. of The Lincoln Museum in Ft. Wayne, Ind.
· Free Trees. All mothers will receive a free tulip poplar tree – the state tree of Indiana.
· Wreath-laying ceremony. A wreath will be laid at the foot of each of the five panels of the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial Visitors Center building.
· Musical performances. Indiana resident, singer and music teacher Shelia S. Billings will perform a song about Lincoln’s mother titled, “Nancy Hanks.” Celebration Singers, a multi-county Southern Indiana choir, will sing patriotic music.
· Original drama performance. Using the words of Lincoln and his stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston, a 10-minute drama will feature student actors from the nationally acclaimed Department of Theater at the University of Evansville.
· Special Lincoln Postmark. The Lincoln City Post Office will offer a Lincoln Bicentennial picture postmark cancellation in honor of this event.
Where: Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, located at Highway 162 and County Road 300 in Lincoln City, Ind. (Take Exit 57 off I-64 and follow signs) Public parking is available at Heritage Hills High School. Busses will transport people to the event site.
