1860 photo taken 4 days after Mr.
Lincoln visited Lincoln, Illinois, for the last time. Info at 3 below.
This President
grew;
His town does too.
Link to Lincoln:
Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership
Site
Map
Testimonials
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission of Lincoln, IL
1.
Abraham Lincoln and the Historic Postville
Courthouse,
including a William Maxwell connection to the Postville Courthouse
2.
About Henry Ford and the Postville Courthouse, the
Story of the Postville Courthouse Replica,
Tantivy, & the Postville Park
Neighborhood in the
Route 66 Era
3.
The Rise of Abraham Lincoln and the Founding of Lincoln, Illinois,
also the founding of Lincoln College, the plot to steal Lincoln's
body, and memories of Lincoln College and the Rustic Tavern-Inn
4.
Introduction to the Social & Economic History of
Lincoln, Illinois, including poetry by William Childress
& commentary by Federal Judge Bob Goebel & Illinois Appellate Court
Judge Jim Knecht
5.
"Social Consciousness in William Maxwell's
Writings Based on Lincoln, Illinois" (an article published in the
Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, winter 2005-06)
5.a.
Peeking Behind the Wizard's Screen: William
Maxwell's Literary Art as Revealed by a Study of the Black Characters in
Billie Dyer and Other Stories
6.
Introduction to the Railroad & Route 66 Heritage
of Lincoln, Illinois
7.
The Living Railroad Heritage of Lincoln, Illinois:
on Track as a Symbol of the "Usable Past"
8.
Route 66 Overview Map of Lincoln with 42 Sites,
Descriptions, & Photos
9.
The Hensons of Business Route 66
10.
The Wilsons of Business
Route 66,
including the Wilson Grocery & Shell Station
11.
Route 66 Map & Photos Showing Lincoln Memorial
Park
(former Chautauqua site),
the Historic Cemeteries, & Nearby Sites
12.
Route 66 Map & Photos Showing Salt Creek &
Cemetery Hill,
including
the highway bridges, GM&O bridge, Madigan State Park, the old dam (with
photos & Leigh's memoir of "shooting the rapids" over the old dam), &
the Ernie Edwards' Pig-Hip Restaurant Museum in Broadwell
13.
The Historic Logan County Courthouse, Past &
Present
14.
Route 66 Map
with 51 Sites in the Business & Courthouse Square Historic District,
including locations of historical markers
(on the National Register of Historic Places)
15.
Vintage Scenes of the Business & Courthouse Square
Historic District
16.
The Foley House: A
Monument to Civic Leadership
(on the National Register of
Historic Places)
17.
Agriculture in
the Route 66 Era
18.
Arts & Entertainment Heritage,
including
the Lincoln Theatre Roy Rogers' Riders Club of the
1950s
19.
Business Heritage
20.
Cars, Trucks & Gas Stations of the Route 66 Era
21.
Churches, including the hometown
churches of Author William Maxwell & Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr
22.
Factories, Past and Present
23.
Food Stores of
the Route 66 Era
24.
Government
25.
Hospitals, Past and Present
26.
Hotels & Restaurants of the Railroad & Route 66
Eras
27.
Lincoln Developmental Center
(Lincoln State School & Colony in
the Route 66 era), plus
debunking the myth of
Lincoln, Illinois, choosing the Asylum over the University of Illinois
28.
Mining Coal, Limestone, & Sand & Gravel; Lincoln Lakes; & Utilities
29.
Museums & Parks, including the Lincoln College
Museum and its Abraham Lincoln Collection, plus the Heritage-in-Flight
Museum
30.
Neighborhoods
with Distinction
31.
News Media in the Route 66 Era
32.
The Odd
Fellows' Children's Home
33.
Schools
34.
Memories of the 1900 Lincoln Community High School,
including Fred Blanford's dramatic account of the lost marble
fountain of youth
35.
A Tribute to the Historians and Advocates of
Lincoln, Illinois
36.
Watering Holes of the Route 66 Era
37.
The Historic 1953 Centennial Celebration of
Lincoln, Illinois
38.
The Festive 2003 Sesqui-centennial Celebration of
Lincoln, Illinois, including photos of LCHS Class of 1960
dignitaries & the Blanfords
39.
Why Did the State Police Raid Lincoln, Illinois,
on October 11, 1950?
40.
The Gambling Raids in Lincoln and Logan County,
Illinois,
During the Late Route 66 Era (1950-1960)
_______
Pages
in this section tell about Leigh Henson's Lincoln years, moving away,
revisits, and career:
About Lincoln, Illinois;
This
Web Site; & Me
A Tribute to Lincolnite Edward Darold
Henson: World War II U.S. Army Veteran of the Battles for Normandy and
the Hedgerows; Brittany and Brest; and the Ardennes (Battle of the
Bulge)
For Remembrance, Understanding, & Fun: Lincoln
Community High School Mid-20th-Century Alums' Internet Community
(a Web site and
email exchange devoted to collaborative memoir and the sharing of photos
related to Lincoln, Illinois)
Directory of Email Addresses of 168 Mid-20th
Century LCHS Alums
Leigh Henson's Pilgrimage to Lincoln, Illinois, on
July 12, 2001
Leigh Henson's
Review of Dr. Burkhardt's William Maxwell Biography
Leigh Henson's Review of Ernie Edwards' biography,
Pig-Hips on Route 66, by William Kaszynski
Teach Local Authors: Considering the Literature of
Lincoln, Illinois
Web Site About
Leigh Henson's Professional Life
__________
Pages
in this section are about the writing, memorabilia, and Web sites of
other Lincolnites:
A Tribute to Bill and Phyllis Stigall:
Exemplary Faculty of Lincoln College at Mid-Twentieth Century
A Tribute to the Krotzes of Lincoln, Illinois
A Tribute to Robert Wilson (LCHS '46): Author of
Young in Illinois, Movies Editor of December Magazine,
Friend and Colleague of December Press Publisher Curt Johnson, and
Correspondent with William Maxwell i
Brad Dye (LCHS '60): His Lincoln, Illinois, Web
Site,
including photos of many churches
Dave Armbrust's Memorabilia of Lincoln, Illinois
Leigh Henson's
Review of Dr. Barabara Burkhardt's William Maxwell Biography
Leigh Henson's Review of Ernie Edwards' biography,
Pig-Hips on Route 66, by William Kaszynski
Leigh Henson's Review of Jan Schumacher's
Glimpses of Lincoln, Illinois
J. Richard
(JR) Fikuart
(LCHS '65):
The
Fikuarts of Lincoln, Illinois, including their
connections to the William Maxwell family and three generations of
family fun at Lincoln Lakes
Jerry Gibson (LCHS '60): Lincoln, Illinois,
Memoirs & Other Stories
Dave Johnson (LCHS '56): His Web Site for the
Lincoln Community High School Class of 1956
Sportswriter David Kindred: Memoir of His
Grandmother Lena & Her West Side Tavern on Sangamon Street in the Route
66 Era
Judge Jim Knecht
(LCHS '62): Memoir and Short Story, "Other People's Money," Set in
Hickey's Billiards on Chicago Street in the Route 66 Era
William A. "Bill" Krueger (LCHS '52): Information
for His Books About Murders in Lincoln
Norm Schroeder (LCHS '60): Short Stories
Stan Stringer Writes About His Family, Mark
Holland, and Lincoln, Illinois
Thomas Walsh: Anecdotes Relating to This Legendary
Attorney from Lincoln by Attorney Fred Blanford & Judge Jim Knecht
A Tribute to Robert Wilson (LCHS '46): Author of
Young in Illinois, Movies Editor of December Magazine,
Friend and Colleague of December Press Publisher Curt Johnson, and
Correspondent with William Maxwell, including excerpts
from Young in Illinois and from Maxwell's letters to Robert;
family photos and information from Robert's only child, Sue Young
Wilson; commentary from Literary Critic Lee Walleck; and memoir by Curt
Johnson
Leon Zeter (LCHS '53): His Web Site for the
Lincoln Community High School Class of 1953,
including announcements of LCHS class reunions
(Post yours there.)
__________
|
Highway Sign of
the Times:
1926-1960
The Route 66
Association of Illinois
The Illinois
State Historical Society
Illinois
Tourism Site:
Enjoy Illinois
|
| |
Marquee Lights of the Lincoln Theatre, est. 1923, Lincoln, Illinois |
Log of
Content Added in 2008, 2007, and 2006
2008
-
New as of 10-3-08:
2nd Annual Car Show at The Mill on 66!
(barbeque, drawing, Mill tour)
-
New as of 9-11-08:
"Imperishable
Maxwell"
by John Updike for The New Yorker
-
New as of 9-11-08: "The First Lincoln
Namesake City Deserves an Official Web Site Worthy of Its Name."
Access
this essay online at
LincolnDailyNews.com and
at the Lincoln
Courier--also,
a PDF of the Courier's publication of it--with editorial support (good readability at
150%). PDF courtesy of Shelly Connelly and
Debra Seaman.
-
New as of 9-8-08: "On
the Intimate Edge: Thoughts on William Maxwell" (PDF) by
Marilyn J. Hollman, Ph.D., a talk invited by the Friends of William
Maxwell on the occasion of his 100th birthday celebration in the
rotunda of the Logan County Courthouse on August 16, 2008. The text
of her talk published here is courtesy of Dr. Hollman. Email her at
[email protected]. Also, the
Courier's article "You
Should Know Maxwell" and the
Courier's report on the Maxwell 100th
birthday celebration, including a photo of Dr. Hollman.
-
New as of 9-6-08:
Central Illinois costume rental stores:
period clothing for the historic Abe Lincoln rally-speech
re-enactment on the Logan County Courthouse lawn on 10-16-08. (PDF,
courtesy of Richard Sumrall).
-
New as of 9-6-08: Brochure (revised
10-08) titled
William Maxwell's
Lincoln: A Self-Guided Tour (PDF), provided by the Friends of William Maxwell
for the 100th anniversary of his birth on August 16, 2008.
-
New as of 9-2-08:
City of Lincoln, Illinois: Your Virtual
Resource for the City of Lincoln developed by Debra
Seaman.
-
New as of 8-28-08:
"A
Junior Texas Ranger Remembers: A Memoir of Growing up in the 1950s"
(in
Lincoln, IL) (PDF) by Norm Dobbs. Please consider
responding to Norm at
[email protected].
-
Forthcoming
early
in 2009: "Max Bachman's
Lincolns," an article in Illinois Heritage,
the magazine of the Illinois State Historical Society. This article is
about the distinctive, multiple renditions of Abraham Lincoln by the sculptor of the
7-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln in the rotunda of the Logan County Courthouse.
-
New as of
7-8-08:
Bevan Alvey's Memoir of Alvey's Drugstore and
Tribute to Sgt. Carson Culleton.
-
New
as of 4-1-08:
Lincoln, IL, and the Lope
(external site with magnificent photos--some with humor, no April
Fool's).
-
New
of 3-28-08:
1939 Lincoln Courier article on first blacks in
Lincoln, IL.
Old Union Cemetery grave stone of Aaron Dyer,
black Underground Railroad conductor. New
as of 3-12-08:
1908 photo: Chautauqua
auditorium with ladies.
-
New
as of 3-8-08:
A pageant of Logan Co. history presented by the
LCHS Class of 1936
(PDF) (compliments of Linda Emmons Willhite) (To get a readable printout
of these pages from Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, access file>print, and in
the print preview window, choose "Fit on Page.").
-
New
as of 2-26-08:
The black characters in William Maxwell's last
book.
-
New
as of 2-21-08:
Photos of the original Sheers buggy and carriage
plant.
-
New
as of 2-13-08:
80+ photos of Lincoln, IL, from 1903. New
as of 1-10-08: See link above to
Our Times.
-
New as of 1-9-08:
Info & photos relating to the original Chautauqua
tent at Lincoln, IL.
-
New as of 1-3-08:
Leigh Henson's critique of the Wikipedia article
on Lincoln, Illinois
(or, one example of why many educated people don't like Wikipedia).
-
New as of 1-1-08:
The Springfield, IL,
Journal's account of Abraham Lincoln's speech in Lincoln, IL, on
10-16-1858.
-
New as of 12-15-07:
Chicago Tribune's satire of Douglas speaking in a
circus tent in Lincoln, IL, on 9-4-1858.
Judge David Davis and S.C. Parks urge Mr. Lincoln
to speak in Lincoln, IL.
The Bloomington Pantagraph's editorial encouraging
readers to attend Mr. Lincoln's speech in Lincoln, IL, on 10-16-1858.
The Pantagraph's brief account of that speech.
-
New as of 12-11-07:
Lincoln, Illinois, miscellany of memorabilia. New as of 12-1-07:
Proposal for re-enactment of Abe's
first namesake town "monster" rally and speech of 10-16-1858.
New as of 11-13-07:
A
Lincoln-related historical marker mystery in the first
namesake town. New as of 11-9-07:
The Lincoln, IL, "little brother" of the great
Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, D.C.
2007
-
11-8-07: Stones of
WWI veterans in Old Union Cemetery
and in
Holy Cross Cemetery.
-
10-24-07:
The
origin of Old Union Cemetery.
-
10-1-07:
Pig-Hip monument christening photo from Geoff Ladd.
-
10-1-07: "Church's
Connection to Abraham Lincoln Questioned," [Bloomington]
Pantagraph..
-
9-29-07: "Abe's
Stint in Church Remains Uncertain," The [Lincoln]
Courier
lead story.
-
9-27-07:
"Missing
Lincoln Link," Illinois Times
commentary on the question of whether Abraham Lincoln practiced law in
the Christian Church of Lincoln, Illinois.
-
9-11-07:
Leigh Henson's essay "Did Abraham Lincoln Practice Law in the Christian
Church of Lincoln, Illinois?"
-
8-23-07:
It all started at Lincoln Lakes.
-
8-21-07:
Chicago
Tribune's account of Abraham Lincoln's ignored speech in Lincoln, IL, the day
after the last Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
-
8-20-07:
Former Lincolnite Debbie Ross--and self-professed
life-long "Lincolnite at Heart"--sings the National Anthem at Barack
Obama's Presidential candidacy announcement (YouTube).
The Debbie Ross Band Web page.
Photos of the Debbie Ross Band at the 2007
Illinois State Fair
taken by her cousin, Ulysses G. Reed, Jr. Springfieldian
Rick Dunham as Elvis Himselvis.
The Elvis Himselvis Web page.
-
8-07: Video of Lincoln's
sesquicentennial parade (8-30-2003) featuring the LCHS noble Class of
1960 float:
part
1 and
part 2.
-
7-29-07:
The first Lincoln namesake town's brief claim to
rock 'n roll fame.
-
7-25-07:
The Hotel Lincoln site: a monument to lost
opportunities for the usable past.
-
7-22-07:
Photo of William Maxwell's boyhood home in 1903.
-
7-6-07:
Jan Schumacher's Lincoln Courier article about
this Web site (6-30-07).
-
7-4-07:
Early history of the
Lincoln Elks Country Club by William K. Maxwell, Sr.; photo of
original Country Club; and photos of player Tom McGrath and golf pro Eward Hoblit.
-
7-4-07:
Bill Gossett, LCHS Class of 1941, remembers gambling at the Elks Club
at mid-20th century.
-
7-2-07:
The Latham Building: An Example of Lincoln's
"Usable Past."
-
6-29-07:
Mary L. (May) Wilson, LCHS Class of 1948,
remembers the Logan Co. Farm.
-
6-27-07:
Rare, early-20th-century snow storm scene on
Broadway St.
-
6-19-07: Pantagraph story on
Mill renovation progress, including photos and video:
http://pantagraph.com/articles/2007/06/19/news/doc467711b71a2cd458120257.txt6-15-07.
-
6-15-07:
Another touching story of Lincolnite connections
from the Internet.
-
6-12-07:
Rte. 66 icon Ernie Edwards' 90th birthday
celebration.
-
6-1-07:
A. Lincoln's acquisition of his only lot in his
first namesake town reveals a fresh example of his character.
-
5-27-07:
Jerry Gibson's donation of a rare 1953 Lincoln
centennial banner.
-
5-27-07:
The James McCarthy family's historic buildings in downtown Lincoln.
-
5-23-07:
Leigh Henson's review of Jan Schumacher's
Glimpses
of Lincoln, Illinois: An Inside Look at Abraham Lincoln's Namesake City
Nestled Along Route 66.
-
5-07:
Dave Armbrust's
Memorabilia of Lincoln, Illinois.
A Mystery of Old Union Cemetery Solved by Pat
Freese.
1876 Map Showing State Street, not Union Street,
as the Dividing Line Between Postville and Lincoln.
-
4-25-07):
Picture postcard image of Illinois Kickapoo
Indians and photo of Kickapoo Indian arrowheads.
-
4-25-07:
Very rare picture postcard image of the Illinois
China Company.
-
4-21-07:
Lincoln, IL, Route 66 picture postcard by Robert
"Bob" Waldmire.
-
3-16-07:
Jerry Gibson's essay on
Route 66 and the Culture of Lincoln, Illinois.
-
3-6-07: more added near bottom of page:
colorful, old-time business ad cards
provided by LCHS Class of '60 alum Dave Armbrust.
-
2-07:
Leigh Henson's review of Ernie Edwards'
biography,
Pig-Hips on Route 66,
by William Kaszynski.
-
2-07:
adventures of bootlegger Coonhound Johnny and Al Capone as told by Route
66 Pig-Hip Restaurant icon Ernie Edwards.
-
1-07:
information and photos relating to the John Henry Kirks, who owned the original Postville Courthouse,
1910-1913. Also recently added to this page: information
about the first Logan County jail that was constructed northeast of the
Postville Courthouse, an 1886 drawing of the Postville Courthouse, and
information about Judge T.T. Beach, who bought this historic building
from the J.H. Kirks in 1913.
-
1-07: Special report:
how the author and his wife survived without power
for 13 days during the great ice storm of 1-07.
2006
-
A Tribute to Bill and Phyllis Stigall,
Exemplary Faculty of Lincoln College at Mid-Twentieth Century.
-
Photos and
Stories of Hoblit-Wilson
Clan Picnics in Postville Park During the Route 66 Era
-
Blacks of
Lincoln, Illinois, in the Early Twentieth Century.
-
Photos and
Stories of Hoblit-Wilson
Clan Picnics in Postville Park During the Route 66 Era
-
Blacks of
Lincoln, Illinois, in the Early Twentieth Century
-
Efforts to Preserve Part of the Mill
Restaurant on Old Rte. 66 and Memories of the Mill from the
1960s
-
Summary of Henson's article titled "Social
Consciousness in William Maxwell's Writings Based on Lincoln,
Illinois"
-
Henson's Review of Dr. Burkhardt's William
Maxwell Biography for the Journal of Illinois History
-
1948 Photo of Interurban Cars, the Freight
House, and the Power Substation at the South End of Chicago
Street (with notes by Mike Fortney of the Illinois
Traction Society and Richard Leonard, Ph.D.)
-
Darold Henson, Fisherman and Lincoln
Courier Man of the Month (May, 1977)
-
Charlie Rose's Interview
with William Maxwell at age 87, 3-1-95 (external link).
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5404557187953628016.
There, advance the horizontal scroll bar to 33:00 minutes into
the video.
-
Judge Lawrence Stringer's "Abraham
Lincoln" (in Lincoln & Logan Co., IL) (1911, PDF, 24 pp., 2.03
MB)
-
Lee Walker Remembers Lincoln in the 1970s
-
The Gus Marcucci Story
-
Newly Discovered Charles Stringer Photos
of the Broadway Street Fire of 1932
-
Jon Diers Rescues Jim McCubbin at Lincoln
Lakes
-
Info about Killer Curve on Rte. 66
-
Photos of the Rustic Tavern in the Route
66 Era
-
Photos of Chautauqua Public Buildings and
Private Cabins; also Judge Stringer's "Lincoln
Chautauqua" (1911, PDF)
-
The Genius Patient of the Lincoln Asylum
for Feeble-Minded Children
-
Gravestone Photos of Bootlegger Coonhound
Johnny and His Best-Known Customer, William Keepers Maxwell, Sr.
-
Photos and information relating to Dr.
Billie Dyer
-
Additional
info and ITS locomotive photo from Dr. Richard Leonard on
the railroad history
page
-
A Tribute to Lincolnite Darold Henson
Focusing on His WW II Experiences in Europe
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Email comments, corrections, questions, or suggestions.
Also please email me if this Web site helps you decide to visit Lincoln,
Illinois: [email protected]
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"The Past Is But the
Prelude" |
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