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Current News

McClean Museum to dedicate new Lincoln Funeral Train Marker
Thursday, April 14, 2022

Commemorating the 157th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination, The McLean County Museum of History will dedicate a new “Looking for Lincoln” historical marker near the site of the old Bloomington Train Depot of the Chicago & Alton railroad.

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Foundation Relaunches and Rebrands as the Lincoln Presidental Foundation
Thursday, March 10, 2022

A nonprofit dedicated to the life, legacy and leadership of Abraham Lincoln takes on new national role

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Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon, April 2, 2022
Tuesday, February 8, 2022

It's less than two months until the unique Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon in President Lincoln's home town, on April 2, 2022, 7:30 am.

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Upcoming Events

1875 Emancipation Celebration
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 7:00 PM

Join us to watch the 1875 Emancipation Celebration: A Grand Old-Style Barbeque in Atlanta, Illinois a new mini-documentary about this event that celebrated the 12th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Sam Wheeler and Heather Feezor will discuss this event in context with other similar events that celebrated and or commemorated the Emancipation Proclamation. They will also share a little history on the creation of the documentary.

Samuel Wheeler is the Director of History Programs for the Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission. Heather Feezor is the Program Manager for Looking for Lincoln and the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.

This program will livestream on Looking for Lincoln's Facebook page and YouTube Channel. The event is FREE. Please do not click on any links that take you to pay page. Our free Facebook events will never ask you for a credit card. If you have trouble finding the event, check the main news feed on the page, and do not click on links in the comments.

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Where's the Christmas Tree?: The Lincolns and Christmas Traditions in Springfield
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 7:00 PM

The Lincolns were a typical Springfield family in the way they celebrated Christmas...or were they??? They didn't have a Christmas Tree (that we know of) and Mr. Lincoln sometimes worked on December 25th. But they also "hung stockings by the chimney with care," ate lots of goodies, and attended parties with their friends and family. Join Lincoln Home National Historic Site Curator Susan Haake for a discussion on how the Lincolns and their neighbors enjoyed the Holidays!

Susan Haake has worked at Lincoln Home National Historic Site since 1991, serving as Curator for 23 years. She is a native of Illinois, having grown up in the Southern Illinois town of Murphysboro, near Carbondale. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State with a BS in Historic Preservation, and received an MA in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University. She has published articles on housekeeping in historic houses, and is the author of the weekly "Museum Monday" posts on the park's Facebook page. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, reading, and chocolate!

This program will livestream on Looking for Lincoln's Facebook page and YouTube Channel. The event is FREE. Please do not click on any links that take you to pay page. Our free Facebook events will never ask you for a credit card. If you have trouble finding the event, check the main news feed on the page, and do not click on links in the comments.

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Regional Highlight

The Living Lincoln Topiary Monument is a 15 ft high & 8 ft wide bust of our 16th President. The president’s beard consist of real living flowering plants and greenery, making it the only sculpture of its kind in the world. It’s a giant Chia Pet of Lincoln! The monument was designed asthe centerpiece of Unforgettable Forgottonia‘sLooking For Lincoln Self-Guided Tour, about Lincoln‘s connections to MacombandMcDonough County.

Learn more about this region.