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The Lincoln Memorial Shrine

A Lincoln Museum in Redlands, CA

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.

Jason Topor

News & Events

Shrine Open for Presidents Day!

Visit the Lincoln Memorial Shrine on Monday, February 20th in honor of Presidents Day.


Shrine’s Lincoln Season 2023!

The Lincoln Memorial Shrine’s Lincoln Season begins in February!

Open House – Saturday, February 4

Commemorate Lincoln and the Civil War at the Open House on Saturday, February 4, 11am-3pm at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine and Smiley Park in Redlands. The event will be preceded by the annual Lincoln Pilgrimage, which will culminate with a program on the steps of the Lincoln Shrine at 10:30am.

The popular annual event will once again feature live music, Civil War reenactors, and family activities. The ever-popular 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery will provide hourly cannon demonstrations, the 7th Michigan Cavalry will discuss the life of cavalrymen during the war, and President Lincoln presenter Robert Broski will recite the Gettysburg Address.

Lincoln Dinner – Saturday, February 11

The Watchorn Lincoln Dinner returns to the University of Redlands’ Orton Center on Saturday, February 11. In honor of the 91st occasion of the annual event, the 2023 dinner will feature Dr. Turkiya Lowe, Chief Historian for the National Park Service, as keynote. Focusing on the 50th anniversary of the NPS designation of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the program will discuss the ways Abraham Lincoln’s life and legacy have been interpreted at the site over the years.

Annual attendance to the Lincoln Dinner is $65 for Lincoln Memorial Association contributors who donate or renew in January 2023, and $75 for the general public. For reservations, please call (909)798-7632 or email heritage@akspl.org. The deadline for reservations is Friday, February 3, or until sold out.


Shrine’s 90th Anniversary Celebrated

Lincoln Dinner 2022 – Dave Card, photographer

On February 12, 2022, the Shrine’s 90th anniversary was feted with a unique Lincoln Dinner.  Nearly 200 revelers celebrated the momentous occasion with live music and the premier of “Enduring Legacies: The Lincoln Shrine at 90,” a special documentary produced for the event. The evening concluded with spectacular fireworks presentation! The Lincoln Memorial Shrine thanks the evening’s underwriters Watchorn Lincoln Memorial Association Trustees Bill Hatfield and Dr. Christopher Walker.

If you missed the 90th Lincoln Dinner, or would like to watch the documentary again, visit the Special Collections YouTube Channel.


Lincoln Shrine’s New Cannon

On Saturday, August 14, 2021, the Lincoln Memorial Shine dedicated its new cannon in Smiley Park! Thanks to the generosity of the Nies family of Redlands, the Lincoln Shrine now stewards a reproduction Model 1857 Napoleon 12-pounder field gun dated 1864.

The dedication ceremony included the participation of Civil War reenactors and featured an artillery demonstration by the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery who instructed donor Dr. Boyd Nies as he fired the inaugural shot.

Come and see the cannon in person. It’s the perfect selfie location! Make sure to tag #lincolnshine and use the hashtag #lincolnshrine to share your photos.

Learn more about the M1857 Napoleon 12-Pounder here.


Juneteenth Becomes a Federal Holiday

From its very founding, the United States had a precarious relationship with freedom.  While the Declaration of Independence clearly stated that “all men are created equal”, the actual practice of enslaving people tested whether, in practice, that ideal could ever be a reality.  Enslavement was the single most divisive issue of the early republic.  When Southern states perceived that Abraham Lincoln’s election threatened what they believed was their “right” to enslave others, those states attempted to break the bonds of the United States to each other.  The result was civil war, with some 800,000 or more Americans perishing.

President Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all enslaved people located within states in rebellion against the United States “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

Before that, some enslaved people had already found ways to emancipate themselves, with groups like the Underground Railroad, by finding a detachment of the United States Army, or simply fleeing those who enslaved them and making it successfully to a free state. As the United States Army liberated states in rebellion, enslaved people there were freed. However, not everyone was aware of emancipation, even after the Civil War was over. In Texas, it wasn’t until US General Gordon Grainger issued General Order #3 on June 19, 1865 that:

“The people are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property, between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them, become that between employer and hired labor.”

From that day, June 19, came a jubilee celebration for the last of the enslaved people of the United States, who finally learned of their new freedom. Juneteenth, as it became known, commemorates this day.

On June 17, 2021, the importance of what Juneteenth represents was recognized by the United States with the designation of June 19, “Juneteenth”, as a federal holiday.


89th Watchorn Lincoln Dinner

Watch the 2021 Watchorn Lincoln Dinner on the Special Collections YouTube channel. The reimagined event includes past Lincoln Dinner speakers, music, and an appearance by President Lincoln!


Webinar Series

Did you participate in the Special Collections webinar series? Presented by Smiley Library staff and a few special guests, webinars focused on topics related to the treasures of the Special Collections Division, including the histories of Redlands, California, Abraham Lincoln, and the Civil War. Check out a list of past webinars or watch them on the Special Collections YouTube Channel.

These programs were made possible by a generous grant from The Kara Foundation.

Closed for the Holidays

In observance of Martin Luther King Day, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will be closed on Sunday, January 19, 2020.

History of the Shrine

lms-history

The History of the Lincoln Memorial Shrine

The Lincoln Memorial Shrine was originally designed in an octagon shape by noted Southern California architect Elmer Grey in 1932. The construction of reinforced concrete was faced with Bedford Indiana limestone plates upon which are inscribed excerpts from Lincoln’s speeches.

Although the original plan called for 75 foot long patio wings to extend from each side of the Shrine, complete with fountains, benches, and additional inscriptions, it was not until 1937 that these areas were added. The additions were crafted from the same material used in the octagon with the Indiana limestone selected to match before leaving the quarry. As originally planned, these patio areas featured additional excerpts from Lincoln’s speeches inscribed into the walls and fountains designed by noted American sculptor Merrill Gage. Robert Watchorn had always desired to expand his facility, but the lingering effects of the Great Depression followed by the start of World War II caused him to postpone his plans. In 1944 Watchorn passed away his dreams unfulfilled.

On February 12, 1998, Watchorn’s desire for an enlarged facility was realized when the newly expanded Shrine was rededicated. After four and a half years of fund raising two new wings were added to the original octagon where the patio areas had been located. The design called for moving the fountain and pool areas forward. Careful removal and repositioning of the limestone panels, and the selection of new materials have created a harmonious blend of new wings with original octagon.

The interior of the Shrine features bookcases from Circassian walnut in the original octagon. The woodwork in the new wings was chosen to complement the original furnishings.

To learn more about Robert Watchorn and why there is a museum to Lincoln in Redlands, California, visit The Watchorns tab at the top of the page.

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Mission Statement

As a museum and memorial, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine seeks to deepen the understanding of President Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War and its impacts on generations of Americans through education, interaction, exhibition, and research.

Make a Donation

If you would like to make a donation to the Lincoln Memorial Shrine, please contact Nathan Gonzales, Curator at (909)798-7632 or heritage@akspl.org.

Volunteer

Become a Lincoln Shrine docent! Share your knowledge about Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, or American History. Contact the Heritage Room at (909)798-7632 or heritage@akspl.org for more information.

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Contact Us

Research Center - (909) 798-7632

Museum - (909) 798-7636

125 West Vine Street Redlands, CA

 

Group Tours

Guided tours are available by reservation for groups of 12 or more people.Please call (909)798-7632 for additional information.

Hours of Operation

Monday Closed
Tuesday 1pm - 5pm
Wednesday 1pm - 5pm
Thursday 1pm - 5pm
Friday 1pm - 5pm
Saturday 1pm - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm
Closed major holidays

Copyright © 2023 · Lincoln Memorial Shrine, All Rights Reserved

The Lincoln Memorial Shrine is a unit of the Special Collections Division of A.K. Smiley Public Library. The Watchorn Lincoln Memorial Association, a 501 (c)3 tax deductible organization oversees the WLMA endowment.