22nd Annual

Lincoln Reenactment

February 17 & 18, 2012

                          Members of the 2010 President's Club pose in the new addition to the

                           Lincoln Carnegie Library before the morning programming and noon

                           Look-A-Like Contest Ceremony. 

The Century-old Lincoln County Courthouse is a perfect location for the morning program and Look-A-Like Contest Ceremony.  This 110 year old native limestone building is one of the most photographed buildings in Kansas.  You may feel as though you truly are there in the 1860's with President Lincoln!

Grace Bedell, played by Maruby McQueen writes the letter to Lincoln telling him he might win the election if he changed his face by  growing a beard.  Lincoln took her advice, thereby, became President and was able to change the Nation.  Grace and her husband, George Billings, homesteaded in Kansas, in Ottawa County which boarders Lincoln County to the east.  A monument stands in the Delphos city park honoring Grace for her letter.

Friday:   February 17         

1:15 pm  ASSEMBLY:  Lincoln Jr.Sr.High School Commons Area, Highway 18, Public Welcome, Special Guests:  Lincoln County

       Jr - Sr High School Students  presented by Steve Alexander, Monroe, Michigan as George Armstrong Custer 

       "Abraham Lincoln and General Custer in Our Settlement History"

2:00 pm  Lincoln Art Center and Lincoln County Historical Society Museum Open

3:00 pm   ROUND TABLE: Lincoln County Historical Museum  A re-cap of "Abraham Lincoln and General Custer in our Settlement History"

         Led by James Wombwell, Tonganoxie, KS,  Special Guest Rod Beemer, Bennington, KS, Author of book on Custer's life

5:15 pm   Dinner at the "Ford Theatre" (for Presenters only)

7:00 pm  "A Visit With the Lincoln Family in the White House",  Marshall-Yohe House, 316 S. 2nd

              Troy & Dawn Strahan, Gardner, KS, as Abraham & Mary Lincoln with six year old son as Taddy   (admission by donation)

Saturday, February 18  

8:15 am  Breakfast for President's Club at Marshall -Yohe House, invitation only

                    LINCOLN COUNTY COURTHOUSE

 9:15 am  TICKET SALES on main floor, Hospitality area in Basement, Elevator available

9:45 am  Jr. SOLDIER CAMP  (for boys six years old and up; uniforms provided, will guard the President until after Freedom March)

 9:55  am  Welcome by Master of Ceremonies, Tim Rust, Wichita, KS

10:00 am  "MARY TODD LINCOLN'S INTRODUCTION TO WASHINGTON 

                     Bev Nelson, Lincoln, KS, as Mary Todd,

10:40 am   "FIRST YEAR OF PRESIDENCY- Abraham Lincoln's ' Baptism of Fire'                 

                    Troy Strahan, Gardner, KS, as President Lincoln

11:15 am   "ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND GENERAL CUSTER IN OUR SETTLEMENT HISTORY" 

                   Steve Alexander, Monroe Michigan, as General Custer

11:45 am   MUSIC INTERLUDE  Jonathan and Betsy Goering, Newton, KS

12:00 pm  LINCOLN LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST  including Gettysburg Address

12:20  pm  PRESIDENTIAL TROOP REVIEW front of Court house

12:30  pm  FREEDOM MARCH (Lincoln Avenue & 4th St., three blocks to United Methodist Church)

                          UNITED METHODIST CHURCH,  216 N 4TH

12:00 - 1:00 pm  BUFFALO STEW MEAL  ($7 adult,  $3.50 student to age 12)

 1:20 pm  SOUL MUSIC FROM THE CIVIL WAR  Jonathan and Betsy Goering, Newton, KS

 1:40 pm  "HOW I CAME TO WRITE A LETTER TO MR. LINCOLN"  Maruby McQueen, Lincoln,

             as Grace Bedell,   Tom Leahy, Conway Springs,  as Abraham Lincoln   

                        LINCOLN COMMUNITY CHURCH,  

 2:30 pm  "The Wedding of the Century"  A reenacted wedding of Libbie Bacon to George

                   Armstrong Custer    Steve Alexander, Monroe, Michigan as George Custer and

                   Marla Matkin, Hill City, KS as Libbie Bacon

 3:15 pm  Wedding Reception and Dance at the Lincoln Community Church Social Hall

                    music played by Jonathan and Betsy Goering

 4:45  pm  Farewell                             

 3 - 5:00 pm   LINCOLN AREA HISTORICAL MUSEUM,  216 W LINCOLN   Open

Cost:  Saturday: Adults $22 (includes Buffalo Stew Meal) Students to age 12,  $10 (includes Buffalo Stew Meal)

Costuming  admired but not required,   Phone for lodging information 

Information:  785 524 5133, villagelines@sbcglobal.net

We  suggest a side trip to Delphos, Ks, during your visit to Lincoln.  Grace Bedell, the little girl who wrote the letter to Lincoln advising him that he had a better chance of winning the election if he grew a beard, homesteaded with her husband, George Billings, near there.   George took the avice from Horace Greeley, also from the state of New York,  not to settle in Colorado as first planned, but in Kansas.  George was among the first settlers on Yockey Creek, Grace following him later.   The Billings maintained their ties to Greeley and also became friends with Wild Bill Hickock, and other hunters who stayed in their modest cabin home.   Later, George became the President of the Delphos State Bank and he and Grace moved into the small town, living their remaining years there.    A monument honoring Grace for her letter stands in the Delphos City Park.