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By the way, did you know?
In the summer of 1826, Abraham went down to the Ohio River at a point where Anderson Creek emptied into the mighty river. He would often be in the area during the summer months. Opportunities for gainful employment was the business at hand but Abe was always amazed at the volume of river traffic. He observed vessels of all types and sizes, strings of flatboats, houseboats, ark like vessels, small craft, and large and small steamboats. He came up with the idea of a small startup business. Abraham from the age of 6 years had been using an ax to clear land, split rails and chop cord wood. For over a…
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By the way, did you know?
By Jim Farris In this new monthly blog post produced by the Friends of Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial to share little or unknown facts about Abraham Lincoln, his family and his activities while living in Macon County in Illinois. These short facts will be sent out the first day of each month. In 1915, fifty years after President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the Illinois General Assembly authorized the State Historical Library to mark the route traveled by the Thomas Lincoln Family from their homestead in Indiana to the place where they would settle in Illinois. It would be another 50 years before the trail opened in 1963. Thousands of markers…
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Celebrate Mudpuppy Day January 30
Our popular Mudpuppy Festival is on hold this year, but we’re still honoring the Sangamon River’s coolest creature! The city of Monticello has proclaimed Saturday, January 30, as Mudpuppy Day. To celebrate, our new Kids page offers fun family activities, including Scavenger Hunt Bingo for our Bruce Hannon Levee Trail, and a beautiful coloring book, Mandy’s Prairie Home.
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The Sangamon River “A Sense of Place”
In 2009 the University of Illinois Springfield published a documentary by Illinois Springfield Professor Charles Schweighauser concerning Illinois’ Sangamon River. Watch it here. (Created by the Office of Electronic Media, copyright University of Illinois Springfield.)
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Floating through the Past on the Lower Sangamon
Photos from the 2016 and 2017 float trips to learn about the geology and archaeology of the Sangamon River from Gudgel Bridge to Lincoln New Salem Historic Site. The events, organized by Lincoln Heritage Water Trail Association, were led by Dr. Michael Wiant. [slider id=”lower-sangamon-geology”]