Recent posts in this blog have strongly criticized the state of Illinois for partially closing some of its most famous sites related to Abraham Lincoln. As of this writing, Lincoln's Tomb, New Salem, The Old State Capitol, and The Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices are operating on reduced schedules. A budget battle between the governor and state legislature has caused the closures. This has caused a huge outcry from Lincoln fans and tourists who were angered to find that vacation plans had been ruined.
Some of this will be rectified in the spring of 2009, thanks to funding from the Illinois Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Although I can't find specific dates of the resumption of full schedules, Lincoln's Tomb, New Salem, and The Old State Capitol will be open 7 days a week once more starting in spring 2009. No mention was made of the law offices.
This is welcome news. However, it remains to be seen how long the $300,000 from the Commission will fund the sites. I'll keep my readers updated as I find more information.
5 comments:
I'd be interested to know how much of this decision is in response to the public reaction. Either way, I'm glad people will have the opportunity to learn about Lincoln from these great sites!
We'll probably never know. But I would think that the adverse publicity PLUS many angry tourists forced their hand.
Unfortunately, the wonderful Dana-Thomas house, a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, is going to close down completely. It's in Springfield. It's distinction is that it has more original furniture still with the house than any other FLW home in the country.
Of course, this has nothing to do with Lincoln, which is why I didn't mention it in the text.
Thanks for writing.
Great job! Love those sites better than AL-Land. Now if we could just reopen the Ft. Wayne museum, wouldn't that be great.
I live in New Orleans. When is the flatboat expected to reach New Orleans? I'd love to see it. My American History class is supposed to keep with this blog as an assignment, and I'd love to have firsthand documentation.
Abraham Lincoln's 1828 flatboat trip down Ohio, Mississippi rivers recreated
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September 9, 2008
FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS
ROCKPORT, Ind. — A recreation of Abraham Lincoln’s 1828 flatboat trip down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers is getting under way.
The flatboat trip will go from Rockport, Indiana, to New Orleans, and it includes stops in Cave in Rock, Elizabethtown, Cairo and Metropolis in Illinois.
The trip is part of the nation’s two-year celebration of Lincoln’s life and legacy.
Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1809 and spent 14 years of his youth in Indiana.
The 60-foot-long, 25-ton flatboat is scheduled to make a total of 21 stops on its journey before arriving in New Orleans on October 5th.
University of Southern Indiana journalism student Casey McCoy will help write a blog about the trip and because he’s 6-foot-4, he’ll also portray Lincoln along the way.
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