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
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Internet Explorer is the only browser that shows this page the way it was designed.
Your computer's settings may alter the display.
April 24, 2004: Awarded "Best Web Site of the Year" by the Illinois State Historical
Society
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Marquee Lights of the Lincoln Theater, est. 1923, Lincoln, Illinois |
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13. The Logan County Courthouse,
Past and Present |
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"The courthouse clock, floating in the sky, shows them the way home." _____________________ When Lincoln, Illinois, became the county seat of Logan County in 1856, court did not resume at the Postville Courthouse. Instead, a new courthouse was constructed on the site of the present Logan County Courthouse. The 1856 structure burned April 15,1857, and was replaced by a courthouse that served until 1903, when construction on the present courthouse began and was finished in 1905. Mr. Lincoln worked in both the 1856 and 1858 courthouses. Lincoln was so respected as a lawyer that he was asked to substitute for Judge David Davis on occasion until Lincoln's election to the Presidency. On December 24, 1985, the Logan County Courthouse Square Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This area is "roughly bounded by Sangamon, Pekin, Chicago, Delaware, Broadway, and Pulaski Streets" (Illinois Historic Preservation Agency Web site, address below). Buildings in this area have historic architectural significance from 1850 to 1950 and demonstrate architecture associated with the late19th and early 20th Centuries: Revival, Late Victorian, and Italianate styles. Notable buildings include Lincoln City Hall, commercial and residential structures, as well as restaurants and the Logan County Courthouse (National Register of Historic Places Web site, address below).
The centerpiece of this area is the Logan County Courthouse, constructed
from 1903-1905. The two courthouses that formerly occupied this site
were familiar to Abraham Lincoln through his law practice. |
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The Significance of a County Courthouse "But above all, the courthouse: the center, the focus, the hub; sitting looming in the center of the county's circumference like a single cloud in its ring of horizon, laying its vast shadow to the uttermost rim of horizon; musing, brooding, symbolic and ponderable, tall as cloud, solid as rock, dominating all: protector of the weak, judiciate and curb of the passions and lusts, repository and guardian of the aspirations and hopes. . . ." William Faulkner, "The Courthouse [A Name
for the City]," in Requiem for a Nun |
| The Second Logan County Courthouse in Lincoln, Illinois | |
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The 1858
Logan County Courthouse, built at a cost of $15,000, was familiar to Abraham
Lincoln. On October 16, 1858, he spoke here for two hours at a
Republican meeting (Dooley, The Namesake Town, p. 19). This
structure was disassembled in 1903, to prepare for the construction of the present
courthouse. |
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Did Abraham
Lincoln Gaze Through These Windows of the Abraham Lincoln practiced law and sometimes substituted for Judge David Davis in this courthouse from 1858 to 1860. Perhaps Davis and Lincoln looked through the windows shown in the photos below. Karl Krotz of Lincoln, Illinois, tells me that several windows and a doorway in the former Krotz & Sons Grocery Building came from this courthouse. Photos 13.4 and 13.5 show one of these windows. His claim is credible for the following reasons: The construction of the
long two-story, red-brick Krotz Building dates to the first decade of the twentieth century. The 1858
courthouse was disassembled, not demolished, in 1903, as observed by Judge
Lawrence Stringer, and some of its materials could have been used in other
construction: "The old building was disposed of, to the contractors, who
dismantled same for whatever salvage might be secured therefrom" (History
of Logan County 1911, p. 239). |
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The photo at the right shows the location of the Krotz & Sons Market, which has an 1858 Logan County Courthouse window in the north wall. The left photo below of this courthouse shows one of its windows. The middle and right photos below show the 1858 courthouse window in the present-day Krotz Building. The courthouse windows each had twelve panes. To show this feature, in the left photo below I numbered the six panes in the window's top half, and this design is identical to the design seen in the contemporary photos of the courthouse window of the Krotz Building. |
13.2: The
1858 Logan County Courthouse Window (Photo in Gleason, Lincoln: A Pictorial History, p. 40) |
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An interior wall of the Krotz Building contains at least two other external windows and a doorway
from the second Logan County Courthouse on this site (1858-1903), although the windows' glass is gone and they are
partially covered by a wall. The doorway is still in use.
Karl and the customers of his curiosity shop walk through it every
day. I'm sure if you visit his shop, he will happily show you these windows
and door. The
Krotz shop is located on north Kickapoo Street just north of the Illinois
Central Railroad tracks and across the street from the round-roof metal
building that formerly housed the Stetson China Company Factory Outlet
Store. Simply tell Karl that I sent you. |
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13.3: Window in 1858 Logan Co. Courthouse in Which Abraham Lincoln Practiced Law Until 1860 |
13.4: 1858 Window of Former Krotz & Son Grocery |
13.5: Interior View of 1858 Courthouse Window |
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The above photo at left is enlarged from Gleason,
Lincoln: A Pictorial History, p. 18. I took the above middle and right
photos in July, 2004. They appear here with the permission of Karl Krotz.
Curiously, Mr. Gleason and Mr. Krotz are both 1956 graduates of Lincoln
Community High School. "Mr. Lincoln and the Case of the Milk-Drinking Mule" (at the 1858 Logan County Courthouse) "Milk-Drinking Mule Played Important Role in One of Lincoln's Law Cases" is the title of an article that appeared in the Lincoln Evening Courier, Centennial Edition, Section One, Wednesday, August 26, 1953, p. 6, and I quote the entire story below: "Another legal document written by Abraham Lincoln -- with reference to a replevin suit in Logan County Circuit Court which started in 1858 and wasn't settled until 1860 -- has been found in old files of the court by James Hickey of Elkhart, vice president of both the Logan County Historical Society and the Illinois State Historical Society. The replevin suit [legal action to regain ownership] concerned ownership of a mule that drank milk. James M. Houser and Henry Palmer both claimed the mule, which was about 3 years old with the letter "S" branded on its left shoulder. The animal was worth about $150. Palmer, manager of the old Lincoln House at Broadway and Chicago Street, had replevined the mule from Howser, and Howser was trying to get it back. An attorney named Austin represented Howser and Wilford D. Wyatt represented the hotel man. The jury trial was held March 23, 1859. It was at this term of court that Lincoln was present for most of the two weeks and acted as Judge in several cases. Judge Davis of Bloomington was on the bench for the Howser-Palmer case, however. Wyatt stated to the jury that Palmer and his children had raised the mule as a pet on a diet of milk and that, though now mature, it still liked milk. Lincoln, who was in court, laughed so much that Wyatt became irritated and told Lincoln he would prove the statement. A pan of milk was presented to the mule. The animal drank it and wanted more. Lincoln then made a counter proposition: "There are half dozen other mules tethered to the hitching racks around the square, and every one will do the same." Another pan of milk was presented to another mule, and it drank it. The jury returned a verdict in favor of Howser. Apparently Lincoln felt he had caused Wyatt to lose the case, for he wrote out a motion -- the one found here -- for a new trial for Wyatt and the Judge granted the request. The new trial came up in September, 1859, with a new jury, but the jurors couldn't agree. The jury was dismissed and the case was continued. At the March, 1860, term of court the case was dismissed by Judge Davis, and Palmer and Howser were ordered to pay their own costs. At the time of the first trial, Lincoln was a
guest at the old Lincoln House of which Palmer was manager." |
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Picture Postcard of the Third Logan County Courthouse in Lincoln, Illinois
13.6: 1905 Logan County Courthouse in 1914
At the far left of the courthouse, the corner of the post office is
noticeable. Between the post office and the courthouse is the building that
preceded the IOOF Building, constructed in 1916. Immediately to the
right of the courthouse is the horse and mule barn of veterinarian and
businessman Dr. Thomas A. Donald, a popular figure portrayed in several of William
Maxwell's works. (Both Dr. Donald and his horse and mule barn are
discussed at
15. Vintage Scenes
of the Business & Courthouse Square Historic District). |
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1905 Logan County Courthouse in the Route 66 Era (1950s) |
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13.7: Logan County Courthouse in the Mid 1950s (Photographer uncertain, probably Larry Shroyer) This photo shows the
northeast corner of the courthouse as viewed from the intersection of
Broadway and McLean. It seems that the photo was taken from the
sidewalk in front of the Avery and Comstock Furniture Store. The photo
shows a virtual line-up of mid-Twentieth Century cars. I do not have
a reliable knowledge of makes and models, but offer some tentative
identifications: left to right, a 1955 or 1956 Chevrolet; a 1957 Ford; a
1955 or '56 Chevrolet; a 1956, '57, or '58 Plymouth; a 1956 Buick; and a
1948, 1949, or 1950 Nash. The Civil War monument can be seen in the
lower-right corner. The Arcade building is at the left of the
Courthouse. Is the traffic light equipment the same as that in the
contemporary photo seen in photo 13.10 below? |
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More Early Picture Postcards of
the 1905 Logan County Courthouse |
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13.8:
Southwest Corner View @ 1910 |
13.9:
Northwest Corner View @ 1912 |
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1905 Logan County Courthouse Today
13.10: Contemporary View of 1905 Logan County Courthouse
(Photo from front cover of: Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce
Community Profile. This view is from the northeast; most likely this photo was taken from the roof of city hall. The Civil War monument is the small, white image rising from the trees at the right. The giant Seth Thomas clock in the dome shows the time is late morning, and there are parking spaces available. Judge Lawrence Stringer describes this courthouse in his History of Logan County 1911. Judge Stringer was "president" of the dedication day, November 9, 1905; and he delivered the opening address. The following is part the description in Judge Stringer's history: "The building is constructed of Cleveland sandstone. The basement and first stories have rock-faced surface, while the remaining stories are of dressed stone. The building is of classic design, with four entrances, each surmounted by four huge columns twenty-five feet high, three feet in diameter, holding aloft pediments bearing stone carvings representing the state seal of Illinois. The structure has a basement and three stories. . . . The building is topped with a dome, one of the largest in the state. It has a diameter of 52 feet and a height of 60 feet, from the base to the summit of the dome proper. The dome is surmounted by a lantern, nine feet in diameter, and about 18 feet height. On this there is a flag pole 30 feet in height. . . . In the dome are four clock dials of glass, each being nine feet in diameter. The dome is covered with copper and the roof is of red tile. It was decided when the structure was built, not to have a clock placed therein. Later, the supervisors changed their minds about the matter, and placed in the building. a Seth Thomas clock, which cost several thousand dollars" (Stringer, pp. 240-242). Inside, "the stone arches which overshadow the entrances in the stone panels are memorial tablets, bearing inscriptions on each side, being eight panels in all." On the right at the Broadway Street entrance is a tribute to Abraham Lincoln: "In memory of Abraham Lincoln, who practiced law in the court houses which formerly occupied this site; who prepared and introduced, in the general assembly of 1838, the act creating this county, and from whom the city of Lincoln was named, in 1853, before he became famous in the nations" (Stringer, p. 243). Additional descriptions of the Courthouse interior come from a brochure titled Logan County Courthouse Lincoln, Illinois (Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County): "The rotunda continues to the roof of the third floor. It is covered with a dome of stained glass, illuminated with natural light by day and artificial light after dark. . . . A mosaic of the state seal, best viewed from the second or third floor balcony, is worked in one-inch colored tiles in the floor of the rotunda" (Stringer, p. 241). According to
former Lincoln College president, Raymond Dooley, who uses Stringer as the
source, paintings on the third
floor include four large landscapes and four portraits. The landscapes
show sites of historic significance. "Elkhart Hill, Old Postville
Court House, Mt. Pulaski Court House and the Lincoln Court House of 1857
[1858] are
pictured in the larger murals. In the four corners are medallion
portraits -- Abraham Lincoln, who named the county and the city of Lincoln;
Dr. John Logan, for whom Mr. Lincoln named the county; Stephen A. Douglas,
who spoke in Lincoln in 1858 during the year of the Lincoln-Douglas debates;
and Governor Richard J. Oglesby, soldier and statesman" (Dooley, The
Namesake Town, p. 19). |
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13.11: Kickapoo Street Side (photo courtesy of Pat Hartman) |
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13.12: Abraham Lincoln Plaque on the Kickapoo Street Side, Where He Delivered a Two-hour Speech from the Steps of This Site's Second Logan County Courthouse, October 16, 1858, the Day After the Last Lincoln-Douglas Debate in Alton, Illinois (photo courtesy of Leigh Henson)
As of June, 2007, there is local discussion about erecting a statue of
Abraham Lincoln on this side of the Courthouse to commemorate Abraham
Lincoln's 1858 speech on this site. |
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13.13: Cornice on Broadway Street (photo courtesy of Pat Hartman) |
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13.14: Stone Carving Detail of the Illinois State Seal on Broadway Street Side (photo courtesy of Pat Hartman) Each of the four identical cornices (the other three facing Pulaski, McLean, and Kickapoo Streets) has the stone carving of the Illinois State Seal. (Note: the red tint is a mysterious flaw in the photo and is not in the stone. I could have used Photoshop to remove this tint, but decided I have a better use of the considerable time it would take to do so.) |
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The following is the entire account of the "Soldier's Monument" quoted from Lawrence Stringer's Logan County History 1911: "Early in the spring of 1867, a movement was begun, to more enduringly commemorate the patriotism of the men of Logan County, who had laid down their lives for the flag, by erecting in the Court House square at Lincoln a suitable and appropriate monument to the dead who died in their country's service. An association was formed for this purpose, a special committee selected, composed of T.J. Larison, C.H. Miller, W.P. Randolph, George S. Dana, J.T. Hoblit and William McGalliard, to provide ways and means for the erection of the same and to superintend the entire work. At a meeting of the committee held at the office of C.H. Miller, August 20, 1867, the secretary, J.T. Hoblit, was authorized to advertise for bids for the construction of the monument, same 'to be constructed of the best quality of American marble, the statue of a life sized soldier, to be placed on the top of said monument, said statue to be made of the best quality of Carara statuary marble, the monument to be surrounded by a suitable fence, and the die to furnish sufficient room to record 300 names, with the date of death, the regiment and company, to which the soldier belonged.' The contract was subsequently let to Bushway & Baldwin, marble cutters, for $5,600, according to the above specifications. The Board of Supervisors on Sept. 9, 1867, voted $3,000, from the funds of the county, toward paying for the monument. The City of Lincoln also voted $1,000 in City bonds for the same purpose and individual contributions raised this amount to $5,000. Subsequently, owning to a loss of $600 on the bonds and subscriptions, and the work being so much greater than at first contemplated by the contractors, the County Board appropriated $1,000 more for their relief. The Board also formally tendered the use of the Court House grounds as a site for the monument."
"The monument was completed in the spring of
1869, and was located north of the Court House. Its entire height was 23
feet. It consisted of two base stones, upon which rested the column with the
names of 326 of the heroic dead, a small column resting on a plinth, and the
whole crowned by a life-sized statue of a uniformed soldier 'at attention.'
A meeting was held May 12, 1869, to make arrangements for the dedication, at
which Joseph Ream presided, William Toomey acted as secretary, committees
were selected and June 10th set as the date for dedication. On that day, the
monument was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies." |
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"A procession was formed in front of the Court
House at 10 o'clock a.m., under the direction of Chief Marshal Robert B.
Latham and his assistants, J.T. Hoblit, O. Allen, J.C. Ross, H. Sturges,
Silas Beason, A. McGalliard, Henry Fox, D.H. Harts, Ed Lynch and William
Markworth. The Board of Supervisors, the Masonic, Odd Fellows and other
lodges, and a large number of citizens in carriages, headed by the Mount
Pulaski Band, participated in the procession. After marching through the
principal streets, the crowd was led to Latham's Park, where a bountiful
repast had been prepared, of which thousands partook. The exercises began at
2 o'clock p.m. After an invocation by Rev. A.J. Layenberger and music by the
band, J.G. Chalfant, introduced the speaker of the day, Richard J. Oglesby,
who delivered one of his characteristically eloquent and able addresses. At
the time of the erection of the present new court house in 1903, the
reorganization of the grounds necessitated a change in the site of the
monument. By this time, the elements had discolored the monument somewhat,
and the Board had the entire monument cleaned and rehabilitated. They also
relocated it on a site northwest of the court house midway between the
building and the northwest corner of the court house square, elevated it
upon two large bases of red granite, in the center of a wide cement
sidewalk, all at a cost of about $1,000. In its present conspicuous
location, it attracts universal attention, a monument of patriotism to
posterity yet to come" (pp. 207-208). |
13.15:
Civil War Monument, |
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13.16:
Statue Close-up 1 |
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13.17:
Statue Close-up 2 |
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Civil War Cannon In an email message to me on Veterans' Day, November 11, 2003, Stan Stringer wrote, "The barrel is the only
thing that is authentic. The carriage is a blacksmithed jerry build. My
dad told me that when he was a boy a couple of civil war vets decided to
wake up Lincoln on the fourth of July. They loaded the cannon and fired
it. Then they decided to fire it again. Apparently they either failed to
sponge the barrel or they didn't do it very well, and it went off. One of
the vets lost an arm in the process. I think this is factual as Dad told me
the names of the vets, but of course I forgotten them. Next time I'm in the
Lincoln library I'll research this story and write up a piece for you." |
13.18:
Civil War Cannon |
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13.19:
Stan Stringer Photo of Civil War Cannon |
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Indian Mother Statue On October 26, 1906, a statue of an Indian maiden [now referred to as Indian mother] and her child was dedicated through the efforts of the Lincoln Woman's Club. Dooley's The Namesake Town also credits the "school children of Logan County" (p. 55). This statue was created by Charles Mulligan, who designed the Illinois memorial at Vicksburg. The Indian mother statue is fashioned from Tennessee pink marble, the kind of stone that also lines the corridor walls of the Courthouse. The pink tint of the stone is noticeable in the photo at the right.
The sculpture was conceived to be "functional and useful as a fountain for
people. . . and additionally so with a lower trough for pets. It was
educational, as the Indian maiden was intended to remind us we are a nation
of many people, including the Indians who were here first.
Additionally, the statue commemorates Abraham Lincoln with the inscription
"of the people, by the people, for the people. . . ." (lincolndailynews.com,
October 29, 2001). |
13.20: Indian Mother
Statue |
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In 2001, Lincolnites funded the renovation of the statue by David Seagraves. His work included restoration of the right hand and water jug that had been damaged in the 1940s. The statue was originally
placed on the west lawn. After the renovation, the statue was
relocated to the south lawn and rededicated on October 26, 2001, exactly 95
years after its original dedication. This statue stands as a
magnificent symbol of civic pride. |
13.21: Profile View of Indian Mother and Child (Click image for larger version.
Photo from ILLINOIS Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 1, 1978, p. 3) |
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13.22:
Shining Face of a Contented Papoose |
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The Courthouse: Where Patriots Rally History provides numerous photos that show patriotic activities on the Logan County Courthouse Square. Paul E. Beaver's History of Logan County, 1982 presents a photo (p. 137) of Logan County Civil War veterans on the Courthouse Square with the Civil War soldier statue in the background. Mr. Beaver suggests the event may be a July 4th celebration in the 1880s. Paul Beaver's book also presents a photo titled "March 5, 1918 -- Logan County Boys Departing for Camp Green, North Carolina" (p. 10). The photo shows uniformed soldiers standing rank and file on Broadway Street facing the courthouse. Paul Gleason's Lincoln: A Pictorial History contains a section titled "Lincoln and the Wars," which offers three photos of the World War I homecoming parade and celebratory picnic in Brainerd Park (pp. 100-102). There also is a photo of a war bond float from the Christmas parade of "circa 1943." Professor Beaver's 1982 history shows a picture of
"World War II draftees at Lincoln Courthouse [on entrance steps] before
boarding train" (p. 17). |
13.23: Celebrating the End of World War I on the Logan County Courthouse Square (Photo from Paul Gleason, Lincoln: A Pictorial
History, p. 101. View is from the northwest corner of the Square.
The Civil War soldier statue is visible at the right corner of the
Courthouse. Citizens are visible in the balcony and in the windows).
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World War II Draftees with "White Lincoln" Statue in Rotunda of Logan County Courthouse
13.24: Darold Henson Among First 1944 Logan County Illinois Draftees (Undated Lincoln Courier photo owned by Darold and Judy Henson) The draftees came from various towns around the county. The caption of the photo names the draftees by such groups as volunteers, fathers, and non-fathers, but does not identify the subjects by row and order. Darold Henson is at the far left of the row of standing subjects. Others in the standing row, from left to right, are Ralph Newberry (#2), Joe Carr (#4), Ward Dowling (#5), Gwen Wright (#6), Robert Lee (#10), Bailey Elkins (#11), and Harry Mahan of Middletown (#15). Access the story of Darold's service in WW II: 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). Without his service and that of others in the Greatest Generation, this Web site would have never been possible.
The above photo shows the 1944 draftees
standing in front of a white plaster statue of Abraham Lincoln. This statue
was subsequently painted, as seen in the photo below. For additional
information about this statue and its sculptor, scroll down on this page to
Original Copy of Gettysburg Address
Exhibited at the Logan County Courthouse. |
| Logan County Courthouse Interior Views |
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13.25: Lincoln Statue from Balcony (photo courtesy of Pat Hartman) |
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13.26: Mosaic of the State Seal of Illinois on First Floor Beneath the Great Dome (photo courtesy of Pat Hartman) |
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13.27: Dome View with Lincoln Portrait in Corner (photo courtesy of Pat Hartman)
"The rotunda, which is continued to the roof of the third floor, is covered
with a dome of colored glass, which admits natural light during the day and
the artificial light of electricity after the fall of darkness, there being
a series of electric arc lights over the glass dome. Just under the edge of
the glass dome surmounting the rotunda, are eight separate paintings of
subjects, all more or less connected with the origin, growth and welfare of
the count of Logan." (Stringer, p. 241). The artist(s) are unnamed in
Stringer's history. |
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13.28: Detail of Lincoln Portrait (photo courtesy of Pat Hartman) |
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13.29: Mural Below Dome Showing the Second Logan County Courthouse on this Site (Photo courtesy of Pat Hartman) |
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13.30: Circuit Court
Judge Gerald Dehner (retired)
The above photo is from the Lincoln Courier
in a 1998 article on the retirement of Circuit
Court Judge Gerald Dehner, LCHS noble Class of 1960. The
painting description is from Logan County Courthouse Lincoln, Illinois,
Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County. |
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Original Copy of Gettysburg Address
Exhibited at the Logan County Courthouse
13.31:
"White Lincoln" Statue and Traveling Exhibit of the Original Gettysburg Address in Photo from the WLS Family Album, 1944 (p. 30), published by Prairie Farmer. The photo depicts WLS's Dinnerbell program broadcasting the opening ceremonies of the exhibit while it was briefly in Lincoln. The exhibit was arranged by Vernon L. Nickell, fourth from the right (not counting Mr. Lincoln). Nickell was the Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction for many years at mid-twentieth century. Other dignitaries include E.H. Lukenbill (third from left), long-time Logan County Superintendent of Schools and student of Abraham Lincoln; Harry O. Augspurger (fourth from left), long-time superintendent of the elementary grade school system in Lincoln; and W.C. Handlin (seventh from left), long-time and legendary principal of Lincoln Community High School. To the right of the microphone is Arthur C. Page, associate editor of Prairie Farmer. The man standing next to the state trooper is Daniel Franklin ("D.F.") Nickols, Sr., who was a Logan County Superintendent of Schools and co-author, along with Kunigunde Duncan, of Mentor Graham: The Man Who Taught Lincoln (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1944). The African-American and the man at the left of the microphone are unidentified. My speculation is that the copy of the Gettysburg Address shown in the above photo is the third of five known copies, and the photo may show it en route to its permanent home in Springfield, Illinois, as suggested by the following:
Excerpt above from Edward Steers, Jr., Lincoln Legends: Myths, Hoaxes, and Confabulations Associated with Our Greatest President (University of Kentucky Press, 2007), p. 117. The above photo shows the impressive "white Lincoln" plaster statue of Abraham Lincoln that "was dedicated on June 21, 1939, and was a gift of the Lincoln Rotary and Kiwanis clubs" (Gleason, Lincoln: A Pictorial History, p. 173). A photo of this statue in Mr. Gleason's book on page 15 is in black and white, but clearly indicates that the statue had been painted at some point, as shown by Pat Hartman's color photo above (13.25). The caption of the photo of this statue in Mr. Gleason's book on page 15 says "the sculptor was Max Bachman, and originally the statue was white. The body was a duplicate [replica] of St. Gaudens' statue of Lincoln located in Lincoln Park, Chicago." Max Bachman (1862--1921) was an American architectural sculptor (stone carver vs. stone cutter).
Carl
Volkman notes that Saint-Gaudens "was the first sculptor to use the life
mask of Lincoln and the casts of his hands made by Leonard Volk before
Lincoln became president." The use of Leonard Volk's casts has special
significance for Lincoln, Illinois, because Volk said he first met Abraham
Lincoln in July of 1858 outside the Lincoln House [hotel] in Lincoln,
Illinois, and obtained Lincoln's agreement to pose for the casts at a later
time. |
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Abraham Lincoln's law partner, William H. Herndon, wrote that the St. Gaudens' statue was the most realistic he had seen in capturing Lincoln's stance while speaking: "Unlike many other speakers, he [Lincoln] did not pace back and forth on the platform or lean on the lectern; instead, as Herndon said, 'he stood square on his feet, with both of his legs straight up and down, toe even with toe.' . . . He was a little awkward at the outset, and initially his voice was 'sharp -- shrill piping and squeaky.' Once he was underway, the pitch of his voice lowered and 'became harmonious -- melodious -- musical.' He nearly always held his hands behind his back when he began a speech, the left hand grasped in the palm of the right, but as he proceeded, would bring his hands forward, often holding the left lapel of his coat with his left hand while leaving the right hand free to emphasize his points [emphasis Henson's]. He did not gesture much with his hands, however, and mostly emphasized his points with a jerk and snap of his head. But occasionally he would stretch out his long right arm and his bony forefinger to drive an idea home, and at moments of great inspiration he would 'raise both hands toward heaven at an angle of about 50 degrees, generally the palms up'" "The designer of the monument recently erected in Chicago has happily caught him in just this attitude. As he proceeded with his speech, the exercise of his vocal organs altered somewhat the tone of his voice. It lost in a measure its former acute shrilling pitch, and mellowed into a more harmonious and pleasant sound. His form expanded, and, notwithstanding the sunken breast, he rose up a splendid and imposing figure. In his defence of the Declaration of Independence--his greatest inspiration--he was tremendous in the directness of his utterances; he rose to impassioned eloquence, unsurpassed by Patrick Henry. . . . His little gray eyes flashed in a face aglow with the fire of his profound thoughts; and his uneasy movements and diffident manner sunk themselves beneath the wave of righteous indignation that came sweeping over him. Such was Lincoln the orator" (William H. Herndon and Jesse W. Weik, Herndon's Lincoln, eds., Douglas L. Wilson and Rodney O. Davis [Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 2006], 248--249).
Lincoln's tomb in Springfield has a bronze replica of the St. Gaudens'
statue. A full-length, seven-foot bronze version of the St. Gaudens' Lincoln statue with the head
sculpted by Max Bachman is located in the Victory Neighborhood of
Minneapolis, Minnesota. |
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The Logan County Courthouse in Art
13.32:
Christmas Tree Ornament |
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13.33:
Paul Norton Watercolor |
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More Picture Postcards of the Logan County Courthouse |
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13.34:
Undated Southwest Corner View |
13.35:
Northwest Corner View (1950s?) |
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The
postcard artist has colored the streets green (Lincoln's streets paved with
money then?).
A black-and-white version of this photo appears in Fish, Illustrated
Lincoln, 1916, and is attributed to A.B. Bliss. |
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| For additional information about this historic area
in this Web site,
see
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 Memoir of the Logan County Courthouse Like other locals, I visited the Courthouse for such routine business as renewing my driver's license. At one time, some of my high school classmates and I even had a tour that included the circuit court courtroom. Seems I recall at least one of those classmates is a member of the LCHS alums' email list. I wonder if he recalls more of the tour than I do. Each time I was in this building, I was impressed with its grandeur. My most memorable visit occurred during Christmastime of 1962 or 1963. Then, LCHS Class of 1960 classmates Gerry Dehner and Thom Zimmerman and I got together. Thom's dad, Ken Zimmerman, was the sheriff of Logan County. Thom got the keys to the Courthouse, and the three of us went to the circuit court library on the third floor to study. The fine oak woodwork and bookcases filled with legal tomes created a serious atmosphere that allowed us to read quietly for at least two hours.
I wonder if during that time Dehner imagined that
he would become a circuit court judge presiding in the next room or
Zimmerman dreamed he would become the renowned ophthalmologist that he
became. At that time, I had expected to become an English teacher, but
I certainly did not imagine where or how my career would go. |
| Sources Cited
and Suggested Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County. Logan County Courthouse Lincoln, Illinois. No place or date of publication. 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): http://www.geocities.com/findinglincolnillinois/daroldhensonWWII.html Beaver, Paul J. History of Logan County Illinois 1982. Dallas, TX: the Logan County Heritage Foundation and the Taylor Publishing Company, 1982. Dooley, Raymond, ed. The Namesake Town: A Centennial History of Lincoln, Illinois. Lincoln, IL: Feldman's Print Shop, 1953. Fish, Henry R. Illustrated Lincoln. Lincoln, IL: The Star Publishing, Co., 1916. Gleason, Paul E. Lincoln, Illinois: A Pictorial History. St. Louis, MO: G. Bradley Publishing, 1998. Material from Mr. Gleason's books is copyrighted with all rights reserved. Mr. Gleason's material used in this Web site is with permission from the G. Bradley Publishing Company, 461 Des Peres Road, St. Louis, MO 63131. Call 1-800-966-5120 to inquire about purchasing Lincoln, Illinois: A Pictorial History (1998) (200 pages of rare photos and text) or Logan County Pictorial History (2000) (also 200 pages of rare photos and text). Visit http://gbradleypublishing.com/. Illinois Historic Preservation Agency Web site: www.state.il.us/hpa/ps/ (accessed 1-15-2002) ILLINOIS Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 1, 1978, p. 3. "Indian Statue Rededicated." From http://lincolndailynews.com story of October 29, 2001. "Judge Dehner to Leave Bench at Term's End." (Lincoln) Courier. 1998 (exact date unknown) Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce Community Profile & Membership Directory. Selected images and text used in this Web site are courtesy of Village Profile.com, Inc., 33 N. Geneva Street, Elgin, IL 60120. Please visit the Web site of this remarkable company at http://www.villageprofile.com. National Register of Historic Places Web site: http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/ Stringer, Lawrence B. History of Logan County, Illinois (1911). Evansville, IN: Unigraph, Inc., 1978. WLS Family Album, 1944. Chicago, IL: The Prairie Farmer Publishing Company, 1944. |
| lincolncourier.com | lincolndailynews.com |
| Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County |
Lincoln Daily News Tourism Page |
Lincoln-Logan County Chamber of Commerce |
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"The Past Is But the Prelude" |
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