2014-10-15 Doing Lincoln in Lincoln, IL

We'll be spending most of the day with Mr. Lincoln today learning about his family, his presidency, and his legacy.

First stop is about a mile from our campsite at the Lincoln Heritage Museum on the campus of Lincoln College.

Here's a beautiful wood carving.

There were two floors and the 1st floor had a timeline on the wall and hexagonal display cabinets with various aspects of his life and career.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act, designed by Stephen Douglas, spurred Lincoln back into politics. The Republican Party was created because of it.

It allowed whoever lived in Kansas or Nebraska to vote for/against slavery and a bloody civil war within Kansas was the result.

The Lincoln-Douglas debates were very famous, but WHERE were they? (Click on the picture to read the text)

The Civil War Begins

We were told as we entered that a group of 50 people were expected in 30 minutes so we wouldn't be able to go upstairs until 1pm. At the time we didn't understand what the upstairs exhibit was like.

After finishing the 1st floor we headed for an early lunch at Wendy's and then drove around town in the drizzle taking photographs of the town's wall murals.

Great looking train depot in town.

Back at the museum we took the required elevator trip to the second floor and started our timed 75 minute Lincoln adventure by sitting in a room overlooking Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln's shoulders while they watched My American Cousin in Ford's Theater.

After Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth a voice over explains that we think as we get close to death we revisit it our life. A door opens and we moved into a black draped room where lights illuminate parts of Lincoln's earliest memories with his parents and on his farm.

All of the rooms were dimly lit so it was difficult to read what little printed matter there was. Every room had voice-overs by actors portraying people during that time. There would be items on 3 sides of each black-draped area and the light would shine on what was being spoken about.

As the room darkens another light leads us into the next room. This is how we are introduced to the people and places that influenced Lincoln throughout his life.

His time in Lincoln, IL as a lawyer.

With his wife, Mary and children.

Through his famous "house divided" speech.

His Presidency, the Civil War, and back to his death.

As we exited the exhibit there were panels helping to explain Lincoln's Legacy, Empathy, Honesty, Leadership, Vision, Perseverance, and Intellect.

2014-10-13 Moving Day to Lincoln, IL

Yesterday we went to a very nice church, the First Baptist Church of Pontiac. We were warmly greeted and given a bad of goodies (Bible, informational brochure, book marker, mug, and a pen). Their pews were very comfortable and we sang songs out of the hymnal that were also displayed via computer on the overhead screen. Great small town church.

Our drive today is only about 70 miles to Lincoln, IL so we'll visit some sites along the Road. We are moving from #15 to #16 today. Hold down Shift and click the map for a larger size map.

When the Route 66 Bypass was built, Lexington decided they still needed to let drivers know that Lexington still existed, so they erected this sign pointing toward downtown.

10 miles further down the Road was Towanda and Illinois' famous "Deadman's Curve", where many accidents happened because drivers were driving too fast for the narrow and sharply curved roadway.

We've seen quite a few re-creations of Burma Shave signs in these small towns. Today's reads...
The wolf
Is shaved
So neat and trim
Red Riding Hood
Is chasing him
Burma-Shave

Entering the Normal/Bloomington area on old Route 66 we pulled up to this old Tudor Style gas station/restaurant.

The David Davis Mansion is impressively large but closed. He was a supreme court justice and Senator from Illinois. He was a judge during the time Lincoln was a lawyer and heard many of his cases. He was instrumental in helping Abe get the Republican nomination for the Presidency in 1859.

In downtown Bloomington we found a place on the street to park the truck and 5th wheel for the 2 hours that we toured the McLean County Museum of History.

Abe was out front waiting for us and although I did all the talking, we had a nice chat. He's a good listener.

Inside the old McLean County Courthouse, built in 1905, it was beautiful.

A reason to come back is that the basement will soon house the Cruising with Lincoln on 66 Museum. Cool logo.

"Encounter on the Prairie" is their permanent exhibit in 4 rooms.

There was a People Gallery that told about all the different immigrants that made up the region and what interesting items they brought with them.

The Work Gallery gave examples of the occupations of the residents.

Abraham Lincoln and Adlai Stevenson were featured in the Politics Gallery and the Farming Gallery showed how farming has changed over the years.

Main Courtroom

There was a great hands-on exhibit about everyday things the pioneers had to do.

It was a good day to do a museum because the driving weather was gray and drizzly.

Our home for the next 3 nights is Camp A While Campground, surrounded by corn fields. Our night here was punctuated by our first tornado warning. By the time we were setup the alert was removed for our county