Evening star., 1936-02-09

w WEN Americans commence
~ rate Abraham Lincoln s
wv birthday next Wednesday,
interest will center about
two shrlnes. In Washington, great
floral wreaths will be placed before
the monumental statue of the Lincoln
Memorial. Hundreds of miles away at
New Salem, Ill, similar wreaths will
be placed in the village where the
Great Emancipator lived during his
early manhood.
Lincolnis shrine in Washington is
stately marble, dedicated to the Man
of the Ages. The shrine in New Salem
consists of struggling log cabins which
sheltered the youth who became that
man. This pioneer center was lost
for nearly & century. But the State
of Illinois is rebuilding it and has
dedicated the entire town as a me-
mortal to the early years which
shaped The character of Abraham Lin
coin.
Now New Salem lives again, a
unique State memorial and national
shrine The crude log cabins stand
as they did when Lincoln lived there.
The shop where he tried business and
failed is or its original plot. From
the flag staff at the cross roads he
marched his troops to war. Before
Henry Onstat's fireplace at the east
end of Main street he studied law
Nearby lived the friends who loaned
him money to buy store clothes" for
Grcf 0f
The six formative years of Abraham
1incoln's life live again for those
who visit tie reconstructed scenes in
New Sa!em. This little pioneer viii
lage way well be called "the Mount
Vernon of the West"
Thirteen original buildings are COM
pleted, most Of them erected on the
old foundations. The houses are fur
nished with more than 1000 heirloom
pieces, many of which were used in
New Salem. All Of them are authentic
lo0-year-old frontier equipment and
are gifts to the State. The stores
are stocked as they were in the 1906.
The Civilian Conservation Corps has
already built typical barn and barn.
yard rail fences, vegetable and flower
gardens and expects to finish eight
more hcmes and the Rutledge Mill
this Winter. Trees are being re-
planted where old documents indi-
cate they once stood. Highways to
the ehrilIe are paved In every direction
and plans are under way to create an
all-weather scenic road along the
shortcut trail Lincoln used between
New Salem and Springfield.
During the Illinois Centennial Cele-
bration in 1918 the Old Salem Lincoln
League gave pageant of incidents in |
Iincoln's life at New Salem. A few |
log cabins were constructed on the |
village site for the play. Descend |
ants of early settlers represented their |
ancestors. The presentation was so
effective that 1t created public de- !
naapd for q permanent memorial on
the historic grounds.
GETTY acres Of the land belonged to
william Randolph Hearst, who
promptly decided them to the State OF |
Illinois as nucleus for the memorial.
In addition, the legislature purchased
suficient lands to reconstruct the
original settlement and made appro-
priations to establish a permanent
state park A staff of scientists and
historians was appointed.
"A long and tedious period of research
followed. Yellowed maps, diaries and
letters were studied. Old residents of
The county were interviewed. Deeds
we're searched at the court house.
Surveyors records were examined
Every available scrap Of informatiort