South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-17
TO RESTORE TOWN
Of LINCOLN s DAY
New Salem Where President
Once Lived, Will be
Built Anew.
International News Service

lhteIndUOudl News service
PETERSBURGH, Ill, Dec. IT,
The visitor approaching Petersburg
next year may be surprised to see a
little log village resting or top OF
old Salem Hill. 1t will be the re-
stored village of New Salem, where
Abraham Lincoln kept store, read
law, engaged in the vigorous rural
sports of the community and loved
Ann Rutledge.
The Old Salem Lincoln league of
Petersburg expects TO undertake the
restoration Of the village as its CON
tributiOn TO the centennial celebra-
ton OF the admission of Illinois into
the union. The plans and the fund
for the undertaking are not yet
complete but G. +. Nelson. presi-
dent OF the organization, believes
that il is feasible.
Preliminary to the reconstruction,
the organization this year has sue
ceeded in locating the sites of the
principal buildings and the survey
has been completed for the restora-
| ton Of the roads which ran through
the village. The we'll in front of
the place where the Rutledge tav-
| ern once stood has been cleaned out
and is now in use. All that remains
of New Salem is a number of de-
preSsiOns in the ground where the
| buildings once stood The Lincoln
league secured the cooperation of
all the old residents Ia Petersburg
in that vicinity in determining the
/ identity OF the various sites.
In this way markers have been
I placed on the site of the Ofutt store.
the first store kept by Lincoln the
/ RUGedge tavern. where Lincoln liv-
/ ed for five years and where he fell
| in love with Ann Rutledge. the
| daughter Of the tavern keeper; the
| Lincoln and Berry store. in which
Lincoln owned a half interest: the
: Cameron mill by the river bank;
/ tine blacksmith shop and the Hern-
/ don store.
All of the buildings were of log.
I The difficulty is TO ascertain how the
I buildings looked. but this has been
/ materially Iessened by "reminiscences
OF many old residents, who spent
! their younger days in New Salem.
/ The Lincoln league expects 10 have
the Menard County Centennial cele-
bration on the site Of Old Salem
! II the restoration idea is carried
out, actors. dressed to represent
/ characters OF New salem OF Lin
cela's day will move about the vii
, llge and give a touch OF realism "a
! IT, There will be an old-fashioned
/ barbecue and some of the rough
sports in which Lincoln was always
a leader
The celebration will be the mos
/ unique in the state and is expected
20 attract people from all over tht
| country who have been made IA.
miliar with the Old Salem scenes
by the many Lincoln stories.
The league intends eventually u
turn the property over TO the state
In order that IL may he maintained
as e state park The ground wa,
+ purchased some time ago by Will
liam Randolph Hearst and placed
in the care Of the Old Salem
Chautauqua association Mr.. Hears
has informed the league that he i.
ready at any time TO redeed it 20 the
state. should the state agree u
make IL a state park He believes
that % che village is restored anC
the other proposed Improvement.
carried out the state will be WILLING
20 take il over at the next session @
the general assem- bly,