Happy Birthday, Walt Whitman!

Today marks the 192nd anniversary of the birth of one of America’s most influential poets, Walt Whitman.

You might ask yourself what does a poet have to do with Lincoln history?

Well….

He was quite fond of President Lincoln, and often symbolized the events of the Civil War and President Lincoln in his writings.

After John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln, Whitman used poetry to expose his feelings about the death of the fallen President.

In the poem, “O Captain! My Captain!,” President Lincoln is symbolized as the ships captain.

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

 

 

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!

This arm beneath your head;

It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead.

 

 

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!

But I, with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

…but it is what Bobblehead Abe refers to as his boyhood home in Indiana. This week in Bobblehead Abe’s adventures he visits none other than the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, the site of his old log cabin.

He played some checkers, or should I say, he was really “into” the game.

He tried to get a picture with the lambs, but it didn’t work quite as planned…

Abe on his “period style” ladder, making his way to his old room upstairs in the log cabin.

Home Sweet Home…or should I say There is no place like home.

We’ve all done it, and if you haven’t…you know it crossed your mind.

Know what I’m talking about?

I’m talking about the “Truffle Shuffle.” Made famous by the beloved character Chunk from “The Goonie.”

…It also crossed Bobblehead Abe’s mind, too…

After his funeral train traveled across seven states and 180 cities, Abraham Lincoln completed his last journey back to Springfield, Illinois, on May 4, 1865.

His final resting place is located at Oak Ridge Cemetery. He is buried there with his wife, Mary, and three of their sons, William, Edward, and Thomas.

With all of this rain, Bobblehead Abe is getting a hint of cabin fever ( punt intended).

So, what better place to visit for information than the Spencer County Visitor’s Bureau, which is just 4 miles down the road in Santa Claus, Ind.

He browsed the brochure rack, but was left feeling overwhelmed. So many places to see, yet so little time.

He was a little confused by the Visitor’s Bureau having a Christmas Tree in April, but of course, we were in Santa Claus–where it is Christmas year-round.

He thought there wasn’t enough ornaments on the tree. So…

…He tried out being an ornament, but decided it wasn’t for him. So…

…He wanted to be a gift instead. That seemed to suite him better.

Lincoln started his last trip back to Springfield, Illinois on April 21, 1865.

Six days after his assassination, the Lincoln’s funeral procession trainride, dubbed the Lincoln Special, traveled through 180 cities with stops in from Washington to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Richmond, Ind., Chicago, and Springfield.

Over a million mourners paid their final respects to the man who forever changed the world.

You know Spring is here when the birds are singin’, the grass is greenin’, the flowers are bloomin’, and the mushrooms are growin’…

…Mushrooms?

Tis’ the season for the hunt of Merrel Mushrooms, and Lincoln State Park is full of them.

That is what I heard from Abe…

Phil, who is the Assistant Property Manager for Lincoln State Park, thought Abe needed to a break from the office grind and to embrace the Great Outdoors. (Actually…Phil wanted an extra set of eyes to help find mushrooms)

And they found mushrooms alright…

…Some as tall as Abe!

…marks the sesquicentennial of the Civil War.

At 4:30 a.m., on April 12, 1861, Confederate troops fired shots at Fort Sumter to begin the bloodiest and deadliest war our nation ever endured, The Civil War.

During the four years of battle, over a half million soldiers died in the war to save the Union and to end slavery.

The leader of the Union forces was President Abraham Lincoln, a boy born in Kentucky and raised in Indiana. He moved to Illinois with his family to embark on new opportunities. With less than a year of formal education, Lincoln was a self-made man and started his political career with the Illinois State House of Representatives in 1834.

From 1846 -48, he served his only term as a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives. He gained national attention in 1858 during his failed attempt to be elected into the U.S. Senate.

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president elected to the United States of America. Just months after Abraham Lincoln was elected,  South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union in December of 1860.

In March of 1861, when Abraham Lincoln was during his first inauguration speech, he declared he would not accept states to secede from the Union.

By April 1861, seven states have seceded: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

“In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free – honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last, best hope of earth.”

–Abraham Lincoln

…On Friday, April 1, 2011, we will be hosting a ticket promotion to kick of the first day of sales to the general public.

What is the promotion, you may ask?

The 5 W’s and H:

Who: Lincoln Amphitheatre Guests

What: You Have the Last Laugh Ticket Promotion “Buy a ticket to “The Wizard of Oz”, get a ticket of equal or lesser value to “Our American Cousin” FREE.”

When:  Friday, April 1, 2011 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. CDT.

Where:  Lincoln Amphitheatre box office or website.

Why:  Because we want to.:0)

How: Call the Lincoln Amphitheatre Box Office at 800-264-4223 or visit www.LincolnAmphitheatre.com.

Exclusions: Not redeemable for cash. No double discounts. Not valid for group sales purchases. Promotion expires 04/01/2011 at 6:00 p.m. CDT.

If you have any other questions about the productions, call us at 800-264-4223, and we will be glad to help.  If you happen to catch us when all the phone lines are busy, please dial ext. 221 or 222 and leave a message. A representative will return your call as quickly as possible.

“The Wizard of Oz” will take the stage July 21 – August 7, Thursday – Saturday evenings and a Sunday matinee. “Our American Cousin” will run August 19 -27, Friday and Saturday evenings and a Sunday matinee.

Bobblehead Abe took a little vacation to visit his friends at the Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World.

Inside, he saw a line of people waiting to get their  pictures taken with THE Mouse himself.

Mickey Mouse.

Mickey was dressed in his colonial best as if he knew a head of time about his special visitor.

A-B-R-

A-H-A….M?

Hmm..Sorry, Abe, the song doesn’t quite fit.  Let’s leave that one for Mickey.