The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-02-24
CELEBRATION
FOR A. LINCOLN
At Hodgenville, Thursday,
February II, AS
SEEN BY AN OHIO COUNTY MAN
DeSOlatiOn Marks the Site at
Present, But Destined TO
Become Flowers.

Editors Herald:-I shall appre'I
ciate the privilege of telling,as saw
it, your readers of the lincoln day
celebration at Hodgensville Friday
Feb. 18th.
The focus of the eyes of the nation
for a day. Hodgensvil,e is but an
ordinary old county seat Town not
quite so large nor nearly so preb-
ty as old Hartford.
Arriving at the Hodgensvillel depot
at seven in the morning the only
spec acle presaging the great event
was about two acres of vehicles pack
cd sardine fashion on the common
near line depot. Buggies, Surveys,
traps, I7lnabouts, spring and road wag,
ons OF every type Of make and repre-
sentiRg every stage of decay We're
ready 10 answer the rod call of du-
ty. Horses of every conceivable des-
cription from the caparisoned thor
oughbred to the windgalled and
spawn join,ed plugs, alike awaited
patiently this service. On account Of
cold rain falling the early arrivals
showed no haste to depart for the
farm three miles away, and five
hundred farmers sat impatiently in
their open wagons in a drenching
rain for several hours. About ten
o'clock the clouds thinned and the
exodus TO The Lincoln farm began.
The road to the farm had been newly
laid with cinders but was so mar
row two wagons could scarcely pass
except at intervals Mounted police
from Louisville were stationed at re-
guar posts along the road and so per-
fectly were the thousands Of people
handled that no accident occurred.
My party arrived a. the gateway 20
the farm about twelve o'clock and
from an eminence paused to take u
first look over The historic grounds,
surrounded by beautiful level or un-
dulating farms the Lincoln farm re-
sembling the ocean driven by a hur-
ricane seemed strangely out of place
Not a level acre graces the Lincoln
homestead. These little nils rising
20 a height of no more than fifty.
feet are a score in number and tho
beholder wonders whether the elder
Lincoln was the latest conner to die
/ IL. Ill ul CT q
because of the neverfailing spring
Varied here and there by patches Of
sasgafras or persimmon sprouts these
red nils are barren as a desert.
The cabin a quarter of mile from
the public highway is reached by a
cinder path whose serpentine course
along the crests of the string of red
hills reminds one of monster black
snake.
Except for the concrete base upon
which the cabin now ands the ar
tisit!c hand of man has not yet adOrn-
cd Uhe farm ;hat history has already
raised 10 imperishable fame. Requir-
ed in a word 10 describe the Lincoln
| farm | should write "DesolatiOn."
| The his DRY Of the Lincoln cabin as re
lated TO me by an old man WHO was
! born and reared on an adjoining farm
is briefly told. Until a dozen years
ago 1t stood where Thomas Lincoln
left it nearly a century ago, when Il
| Mr.. Davenpor. bought it not fer its
Lis orical but for its practical value,
md moved /, about mile and q MALT
away where it was rebuilt for resi-
dence. where it stood until four years
ago when a gentleman, the notation
OF whose name / have lost, apprecia--
ing tine possible value of this Lin
ooln relic built the owner of me cab
in nice farm residence for the cabin
and at once put IL ON exhibition in
various cities of the United States.
About two years ago Robert Collier
of Golfers Weekly bought the his
toric cabin and organized the
Lincoln Farm Association, cor
poration in which no one may con-
tribute less than twenty-five cents.
nor more than twenty five dollars
and every contributor whether he
pays the lesser or larger sum, will
receive an engraved certificate of MEM
bership and have his name entered
on scroll that will be forever pre-
served In the Lincoln museum (my
name will be written thepe.)
The cabin is eighteen feet square
land high enough for the traditional
IvA. I-.N--1 a. -..1-N. .4.s.s-- !