I am pleased to announce the rollout of a new PowerPoint presentation that I will be bringing to Libraries, museums, and other organizations in the near future. The name of the presentation is The Roads that Lead to Lincoln: Honest Abe on the Historic Highways of Illinois.
2009 is the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth. Since so many of the places visited by Mr. Lincoln were within the state of Illinois, I decided to take a look at how Lincoln’s legend has become a cultural icon, as well as a historical subject that can be explored with relatively short trips from the Chicago area.
The presentation begins with a whimsical look at some of the ways Lincoln’s fame has been used in our commercial culture. This is followed by a look at Lincoln’s life in Illinois, from his arrival here in 1830 to his departure as President-elect in 1861. He never returned to Illinois until his funeral train carried his remains into the state at Chicago, then made the somber journey southwest to Springfield.
The final section of the presentation takes us on a virtual tour of Lincoln historic sites along the highways of Illinois: southwest from Chicago on Route 66, around the Eighth Judicial Circuit where Lincoln practiced law, up the Great River Road, and across the state on the Lincoln Highway. We follow in Lincoln’s footsteps and appreciate the monuments that have been built in his memory.
So far, I have scheduled the Roads that Lead to Lincoln for one location in November 2008, and many more in 2009. To keep up with the schedule of locations and dates, please check back often on my Upcoming Events page.
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