Two hundred years after his birth, the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln continues to fascinate and inspire. Born into poverty on the edge of an untamed frontier, his rise from obscurity to greatness has become a symbol of the universal hope that we can all improve our circumstances in life.
Lincoln's family life has also generated interest over the years. Although some claim that his marriage to the volatile Mary Todd was a burden to Abe, others point to the love that both parents clearly had for their four sons.
His twin great accomplishments, ending the scourge of American slavery while simultaneously preserving the Union of States during its most challenging crisis, have led many to name him American's greatest statesman.
Utilizing some of our finest manuscripts, artifacts, and broadsides the Lincoln Memorial Shrine is proud to host a special exhibit commemorating the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth.
Upcoming Events
Lincoln Shrine Open House Sunday, February 5!!
The Lincoln Memorial Shrine’s ongoing commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War will continue at our 40th Annual Open House on February 5, 2012, with the unveiling of a special exhibit. Entitled “The Fiery Trial,” the exhibit will focus on the important events of 1862. Using manuscripts and art work, “The Fiery Trial” will demonstrate how the war intensified in its second year, with battles such as Fort Donelson, Hampton Roads, Shiloh, the Seven Days, Second Manassas, and Fredericksburg taking an ever increasing toll of lives. The focal point will be what is still the bloodiest day in American history, the Battle of Antietam, and its role in convincing Abraham Lincoln that Emancipating the slaves would be necessary to win the war.
The response to the Shrine’s 1861 “And the War Came” exhibit was so strong that it will be kept up for another year, with the new 1862 exhibit being installed in the East Wing. Once again, the high wall space in the wing will feature a timeline placing the events of the year into context along with 6 representative quotes from the year such as Robert E. Lee’s “It is good that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it,” and Abraham Lincoln’s “If there is a worse place than Hell, I am in it,” (uttered after a crushing defeat at Fredericksburg).
In addition to unveiling this special exhibit, the Open House will feature our traditional Lincoln’s birthday festivities, including performances of Civil War music by fiddler Bill Bell and his quartet, recitations of the Gettysburg Address by Lincoln presenter Robert Broski, Civil War re-enactors, refreshments, and a children’s Lincoln Log play area. The event will take place between 12pm and 3pm on the 5th, so that football fans need not miss a minute of the Super Bowl.
80th Annual Watchorn Lincoln Dinner Sunday, February 12
At the 80th annual Watchorn Lincoln dinner, to be held at the University of Redlands on Sunday, February 12, 2012, prize-winning historian Craig L. Symonds will examine how Lincoln managed the men who ran the naval side of the Civil War, and how the activities of the Union Navy ultimately affected the outcome of the conflict. The author of more than a dozen books on the Civil War, Dr. Symonds is perhaps best known for Lincoln and his Admirals, which won the prestigious $50,000 Lincoln Award for the best book published about Lincoln in 2009. In the book Dr. Symonds traces Lincoln’s steady growth as a wartime commander-in-chief. In one incident, disappointed by the lethargy of his senior naval officers on the scene, Lincoln stepped in and personally directed an amphibious assault on the Virginia coast, a successful operation that led to the capture of Norfolk. By the end of the war the man who professed to know “little about ships” had transformed himself into one of the
greatest naval strategists of his age.
A tradition begun by Shrine founder Robert Watchorn and his wife Alma in 1932, the Watchorn Lincoln dinner will take place at 6:30 pm at the University of Redlands Orton Center, preceded by a 5:30 pm wine and cheese reception. In addition to Dr. Symonds’s presentation, the evening will include a medley of Civil War songs sung by the 40 strong Redlands Community Chorus, as well as brief remarks from local dignitaries and Shrine officials. Reservations for the evening cost $40 for Lincoln Memorial Association members and $45 for the general public. Please contact the Heritage Room at 909-798-7632 or by e-mail at heritage@akspl.org to make your reservation.
Inland Empire Civil War Round Table
Would you like to learn more about the Civil War? Do you enjoy discussing new books, findings and preservation of Civil War battlefields? Come join the Inland Empire Civil War Round table. For more information visit our page or call 909-798-7632.
