Lincoln Bicentennial

Happy 200th, Mr. Lincoln

Springfield's favorite son, Abraham Lincoln, is the center of attention as the world celebrates the 200th anniversary of his birth today. Events are going on through the 22nd throughout central Illinois, which culminates with an appearance by President Barack Obama this evening after his much touted appearance at Caterpillar in Peoria. The President will speak briefly at a Lincoln banquet at the Crowne Plaza hotel. The banquet is of course sold out.

Having lived several years in Springfield and most of my life in nearby Jacksonville, I have had the honor job of tour guide of the Lincoln sites for many friends and family members. My favorite local Lincoln site would have to be Lincoln's Tomb. Once you are inside the burial room, it is dark and a little creepy. The large monument does not contain the 16th President. He is buried very deep below.

Along the south wall of the burial room are five crypts containing the remains of Mrs. Lincoln and three of Lincoln's four sons (his eldest, Robert Todd Lincoln, is buried at Arlington National Cemetery).

According to the State Journal-Register, “Reflections: The American Funeral,” a mobile exhibit on funeral traditions, will be at the Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site in Oak Ridge Cemetery through Sunday. A special feature is a reproduction of Abraham Lincoln’s casket with a tracing of his nearly three-week-long funeral procession. The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sunday. Here are some great shots of Lincoln's Tomb, but there is plenty more to see.

....U.S. National Historic Landmark (left)

The model of the sculpture at the Lincoln Memorial in Lincoln’s Tomb’s rotunda.



Inside the crypt burial room.

For all the 411 on the Lincoln events, check out the Springfield's State Journal-Register's Bicentennial page (http://www.sj-r.com/bicentennial). When you get the chance, be sure and visit Springfield!

Governor, You've Been Served

Today was an odd day in Springfield. With the bad weather, some wondered if the governor would make it to Springfield to swear in the new senate, but he did finally arrive. Of course, that would not have been an issue, if he resided in the Governor's mansion. Blago never lived in the governor's mansion. Instead, he flew back and forth from Chicago (wonder who paid for that).

Would the new senate give him a dirty look? Would they refuse to shake his hand. Would they look the other way? I'm not sure exactly how it went down, but the State Journal-Register (http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1621246460/New-legislative-term-begins-today) has a lot of pictures of the awkward swearing in ceremony.

Impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich presided over a tense swearing-in of the state Senate that must ultimately decide whether to oust him, telling the lawmakers he hopes they will "find the truth and sort things out."

The highlight of the day had to be when Blagojevich's legal staff received the summons for the Jan. 26 Senate impeachment trial.