We crossed Indiana and half of Illinois today to visit the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Presidential Library. We saw license plates from Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, Maine, Ohio, Missouri, Massachusetts, Iowa, Florida, Minnesota, Washington, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, California, Maryland, Georgia, West Virginia, Quebec, and Ontario, slightly fewer than yesterday.
This was Akalena’s first introduction to our 16th president. We started with a film called Lincoln’s Eyes, talking about the changes from hopeful boyhood to embattled President. It included special effects with smoke, flashing cannon, and shaking seats when the cannonballs hit. Akalena thought maybe we should leave immediately after that.
On one side of the central plaza is a log cabin with young Abe sitting in front. Going into the cabin you see Lincoln’s family sleeping as he reads in front of the fireplace. The journey continues with vignettes of events of Lincoln’s life prior to his presidency. Akalena’s favorite display was one of Lincoln”s children playing bat the inkwell with the broom on the table in his office as Abe read a newspaper on the couch.
Across the plaza is the family standing in front of the White House. Inside the story of the difficulties, Lincoln faced as President and the events of the Civil War. Again, Akalena rushed through some of the rooms where the displays were too intense for her. She did love the displays of dresses of the leading women of Washington at the time.
