Thank you, Governor Quinn

Lincoln buffs and others who are passionate about keeping the history of Illinois alive join together in a big round of applause for Illinois governor Pat Quinn, who has reopened our historic sites, closed by our last governor in what seemed to be a short-sited attempt to ease a budget crunch. Never mind that it was the Lincoln Bicentennial year. That other guy just didn't care!

This Lincoln buff is thrilled about all the site reopenings, but particularly excited about the opportunity for people to again see the birthplace of my favorite Illinois bard, Carl Sandburg. I was born a mile or less from the home, my uncles have owned a grocery store just down the block for more than 50 years and I write for a living today as a direct result of attending a Sandburg Days writers workshop in the late 90s. Oh, and did I mention I won the Sandburg Days trivia contest two years in a row?

You can read all about the site reopening in the Galesburg Register-Mail, not hailed as Lincoln's Friend like its sister paper, The State Journal-Register, but a pretty fine publication, nonetheless.

Birthplace website and Sandburg Days
Be sure to visit the Carl Sandburg Historic Site website to learn about the place where the prairie poet breathed his first breath and where his ashes rest. (As of this writing, the website has not been updated, though, with news of the reopening.)

And, if you're looking for something to do this weekend, head to the Burg for Sandburg Days. I'll be there, excited that my mentor and friend, John E. Hallwas, will again offer his writers workshop. He'll also give a presentation about his latest book, Dime Novel Desperadoes, at my favorite book haven, the Galesburg Public Library. And those are just some of the events!

You oughta join us.

© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.