Everything Lincoln!

The purpose of the Lincoln Seminar class is to celebrate the bicenntennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, and celebrate we did! The class took a two-day trip down to Springfield, IL to take part in multiple forms of celebration.

One of the highlights on the evening of February 11th was going to the "Let Freedom Sing" concert in downtown Springfield. We all enjoyed the bell choirs, gospel chorsus, and the piping band. After the concert, we headed down to the vigil held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum.

On February 12th, Lincoln's birthday, we participated in many events. We went to the Illinois State Museum to view the new exhibit "From Humble Beginnings." Next, we went to the Lincoln Museum to participate in the nation-wide, record breaking reading of the Gettysburg Address, where we received free, snazzy t-shirts for proof.

Another highlight of the trip was visiting Lincoln's Tomb for the wreath-laying ceremony. We had a chance to meet the Illinois' new governor, Pat Quinn. The emotional ceremony included speeches and a lot of contact with the media.

After the ceremony, we boarded the bus to go back to downtown Springfield to break off into groups and explore all things Lincoln. Sprinkled throughout the area were displays, book discussions, and art exhibits. Local businesses also celebrated. There were even giant "cupcakes" made of popcorn and jelly bean portraits of our 16th president!

Other acivities included a tour of the Linclon home and a visit to the period ball at the Lincoln Museum. Overall, our experience was amazing, and it was a trip we will never forget.