From the October 2009
Newsletter
Following the business meeting, members took some time to
see and read the traveling Lincoln display. The educational piece was
produced by former Cobden PAST member Carla Smith Bell at the Lincoln
Presidential Museum in Springfield.
The exhibit has been presented to PAST and will remain in the Union County
area for display in local venues. It will remain at St Anne’s for a
limited time. St Anne’s is scheduled to open to visitors on the 4th
Saturday of October and 4th Saturday of November from 10:00am to 2:00 pm.
To arrange to use the display for school or community exhibits, call
618-833-8745.
WALK WHERE LINCOLN WALKED
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P.A.S.T. of Union County encourages visitors to go
"Looking for Lincoln" and to visit the various Lincoln sites in the area:
You may wish to "Walk Where
Lincoln Walked" from the square in Jonesboro to the Lincoln Memorial Park.
Visit the "Looking for Lincoln" Wayside sign, or story board on the square
in Jonesboro and be reminded of the local history. Follow the footprints
to the park and visit the memorial courtyard, with its Lincoln-Douglas
commemorative monument and another "Looking for Lincoln" story board. See
the recently dedicated statues of Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Douglas presiding
over the site of the famous debates of 1858.
At the Anna-Jo Garden Club Park
in east Anna, visit the "Looking for Lincoln" Wayside sign and read about
when Anna was "Jonesboro Station" and about the importance of the railroad
to the area. On the three Anna-Jonesboro Lincoln-Douglas story boards,
visitors will find a brass medallion that can be "rubbed" to make a design
called a brass rubbing. The local medallions represent Lincoln and
Douglas, a horse and carriage, and a locomotive.
When going down Anna's Main
Street, notice the house where Lincoln stayed when he visited in 1858. He
stayed two nights at the home of D. L Phillips and visited in Anna and
Jonesboro as he prepared for the debate with Mr. Douglas. The house is now
the subject of an effort by P.A.S.T. to preserve the historical home as a
living history site for the community.
For more information about the Lincoln sites, call
833-3228.
THE HOUSE WHERE LINCOLN
STAYED
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Dear Community Member,
The P.A.S.T. group (Promoting Appreciation of
Structural Treasures) of Union County has signed a contract to buy the
house where Lincoln stayed for our community-- contingent upon being able
to raise $200,000. This amount is not as daunting as it may seem, since we
have learned that the Illinois Department of Tourism considers the Lincoln
site to be a valuable addition to attractions in Southern Illinois. Their
grant program will match all donations and even pledges that we may obtain.
P.A.S.T. is
appealing to you, your organization, business, or corporation to consider
pledging or contributing to save this house for future generations of our
county, area, and the Land of Lincoln. It seems most appropriate that our
community be asked to be stewards of this treasure in 2009, the year of
Lincoln’s 200th birthday. The committee welcomes requests to present
further information about the project to you or your group.
Jim and Pat Tripp
have lovingly restored and updated the 4000 square foot home. They are now
retired and plan to move to be near their daughter. The P.A.S.T.
organization’s vision is to provide displays and activities for children
and adults alike. Our goal is that the public may come to appreciate more
fully Union County’s importance in the years before and during the Civil
War. Luncheons, tours, a gift shop, a bed and breakfast, etc. would be
offered to help with operating expenses. A resource room will also be
established to assist in local history and genealogy projects. Our board
will work with area schools to present to the students, in a fun and
entertaining way, the importance of their local history.
Won’t you become a
“Hometown History Hero” and return the form below along with your check or
pledge? Donors will be recognized in an appropriate manner at the house.
You may call 833-8745 or 833-6694 for more information.
Thank you in advance,
Linda Hileman, President of P.A.S.T., and
“House Where Lincoln Stayed” committee
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