“He’s somebody we can all learn something from”

I just can’t not do it. If you’ve got a passion, you know what I mean. You pursue it because you’re drawn to it, you must do it, you just can’t not do it.

For me that passion is Abraham Lincoln – sharing his story, using it to inspire others, learning from it myself. Fortunately, this blog connects me to people who share that passion. When I can find the time, I like to tell their stories. Sometimes, they tell their own stories so well, I need serve only as the conduit through which the story flows to the rest of you. This is one of those times.

David Wiegers, a Lincoln buff from Gurnee (Ill.), was one of the earliest followers of my blog and one of the first to post a comment. Wiegers has his own passion. He’s crossed the United States photographing Lincoln statues – more than 200 of them. When he was featured recently on WILL television, Wiegers captured the essence of why so many of us are drawn to the Lincoln legacy. He said of the sixteenth President, “He’s somebody we can all learn something from.”

I recently asked Wiegers to tell me a little about his passion, including his plans for a book featuring the Lincoln statues. He did such a fine job telling the story that I see no need to rewrite it. So, Dave, congratulations! You’re the first guest author on Lincoln Buff 2.

A Life Worth Remembering: The Monumental Legacy of Abraham Lincoln

by David Wiegers

“Every statue should tell a story. It should portray a moment in our nation’s history or a man’s life that’s worth remembering.” Sculptor Gutzo Borglum

President Abraham Lincoln certainly lived a life worth remembering. He lives and is remembered by his eloquent words and remarkable life. One of the most important ways we remember Lincoln and the life that he lead is through the monuments and statues we have erected commemorating his life and times.

There are more statues, monuments and memorials dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln that any other American. In the United States there are approximately 225 “major” or “significant” pieces of public and private art erected to honor Lincoln in the United States . Outside America numerous statues honoring the memory of Lincoln stand in many foreign countries. Lincoln is memorialized in Mexico , Russia , Cuba , England , Scotland , Norway and Austria .

The 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln has arrived and, monuments celebrating the life of the 16th president continue to be dedicated in the United States despite the fact that Lincoln has been dead for 144 years. In the past 24 months alone, new statues commemorating the life of Abraham Lincoln have been erected in:

• Springfield (Ill.)
• Sterling (Ill.)
• Pontiac (Ill.)
• Jonesboro (Ill.)
• Hodgenville (Ken.)
• Tacoma (Wash.)
• Lockport (Ill.)
• Washington (D.C.)

In 2009 and 2010, new Lincoln works will be dedicated in:

• Jacksonville (Ill.)
• Bloomington (Ill.)
• Shelbyville (Ill.)
• Metamora (Ill.)
• Hillsboro (Ill.)
• Decatur (Ill.)
• Hillsdale (Mich.)
• Louisville (Ken.)
• Springfield (Ken.)
• Leavenworth (Kans.)
• Gentryville (Ind.)
• Gettysburg (Penn.)

Others are surely in the planning stages and not yet announced to the public.

With the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth being celebrated in 2009 and 2010, I believe that it is time for an updated, definitive work on the statues of Abraham Lincoln. It has been over 50 years since the last books on this subject were published.

In 1932, the first comprehensive cataloging of the bronze statues of Abraham Lincoln in the United States was done on behalf of the Lincoln National Life Foundation. The book was Heroic Statues in Bronze of Abraham Lincoln, written by Franklin B. Mead and was published by The Lakeside Press. Mead’s work covered only “heroic” or life-sized or larger studies of Lincoln . A good portion of the book was given to a complete telling of the story of a new Lincoln work commissioned by the Lincoln National Life foundation and created by the noted sculptor Paul Manship entitled The Hoosier Youth.

Donald Durman’s book, He Belongs to the Ages – The Statues of Abraham Lincoln, was published in 1951 and F. Lauriston Bullard’s book, Lincoln in Marble and Bronze, came out in 1952. Neither of these books is in now in print.

My book will update the literature on the subject of Lincoln sculpture and make available a complete catalog of all of the “major” public statues of Abraham Lincoln and select private pieces.

The purpose and ultimate goal of my project is to release a book that will update the information collected by Durman and Bullard and include updated information and photographs of the statues of Abraham Lincoln featured in those authors’ books. I will also tell the story of the works created and dedicated since 1952.

In the first sentence of the preface to his 1951 book, Durman said, “For many years there has been a need for a definitive work on the statues of Abraham Lincoln.” I believe that it is once again time for a new definitive work on the statues of Lincoln.

My project to document the statues of Abraham Lincoln will commemorate and celebrate the life of Abraham Lincoln by compiling in one place the 225 or more statues in the United States dedicated to Lincoln’s life, virtues, thoughts and ideals.

Between September of 2004 and April of 2009, I have visited over 30 states and have photographed 200-plus Lincoln statues in parks, public building, museums and private collections.

One thing that I hope comes about as a result of my book is a greater appreciation of these works of art. So many of these marvelous images of Lincoln are in deplorable shape and need cleaning and restoration. Perhaps raising the awareness around the country to the plight of some of these statues may help spur local communities and corporations to step forward with the funds to restore them.

The book, which has been photographed and written by Dave Wiegers, is not complete. I have just started to write the background on the statues I have selected for in-depth treatment. There are still about 15-20 new statues to be dedicated over the next 12 months and it is my intention to include as many of the new Lincoln works being erected around the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial in this work.

I am currently working a book proposal and readying it to send out to prospective publishers. Once a publishing house has agreed to take on this book, it will take approximately a year to get the book to print.

Lincoln Buff 2 says “Thanks”
Dave, I’m sure readers will appreciate as much as I the sharing the story of your passion with us.

Featured photos
The photographs above are of Wiegers and of a Lincoln statue recently dedicated in Springfield (Ken.).

Wiegers says the Kentucky statue is significant for two reasons:

• The sculptor is a woman from California, Paula Slater (pictured with the new statue.) There aren’t many major Lincoln pieces by women.
• It commemorates Lincoln’s parent’s marriage and his search for their marriage certificate in Washington County, Ken.

The Morencai Lincoln home is near there, as is the homestead where Nancy Hanks and the Lincolns lived. Weigers says, “It a beautiful area and worth a side trip if you get down towards Hodgenville.”

See where the statues are
In case you're wondering where the existing statues are, there's a really cool interactive map on the PBS website which celebrates the fine documentary, Looking for Lincoln, produced by the Kunhardts. The map links to photographs Wiegers took of the statues.

Know of another new or planned Lincoln statue?
Please share the news with Dave at dbwiegers[at sign]comcast[dot]net. He’s also learned of statues planned in :

• Joliet (Ill.)
• Lincoln City (Ind.)
• Rapid City (S.D.)

*My thanks to Mike Kienzler, aka The Abraham Lincoln Observer, of The State Journal-Register. With his editor's eagle eye, Mike noticed I had the forgotten the "i before e" rule in spelling Dave's name. Dave, I am so sorry. I've fixed it. Ann

© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.

Want to see what you may have missed?

If you weren’t able to celebrate the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth in person, it’s not to late to see some of the events you may have missed. As they have been so often, our friends at C-SPAN were there to chronicle some of the happenings.

I had the opportunity to be there myself for several of these, but even I couldn’t be in Washington, D.C. and Springfield at the same time, so the C-SPAN videos allowed me to catch up on the ones I didn’t see.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum events
On Sunday, Feb. 8, I had the opportunity to attend two events where several of my favorite Lincoln scholars or enthusiasts presented. You won’t want to miss:

• Eric Foner’s talk, “Reflecting on Lincoln”
• The panel discussion moderated by Lincoln memorabilia expert Daniel Weinberg and featuring Lincoln collectors Philip Kunhardt III, Jack Smith, Louise Taper and Frank Williams

Senator Dick Durbin speaks at Lincoln Tribute Dinner
Monday, Feb. 9, Senator Dick Durbin spoke in Washington, D.C. on “What Lincoln Means to Me.” Durbin is a co-chair of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, a long-time supporter of the need for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and a public servant representing the district Lincoln lost to Stephen A. Douglas in 1858. His devotion to keeping the legacy of Lincoln alive is deep-seeded, sincere and much appreciated. We’re fortunate to have him and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood as champions of Lincoln both in Illinois and for the nation.

Congressional Bicameral Celebration from the U.S. Capitol
On Lincoln’s 200th birthday, Feb. 12, 2009, a special celebration was held in our nation’s Capitol. C-SPAN was there to capture the festivities, including remarks from President Barack Obama. As we waited in Springfield for a Lincoln luncheon to begin, one of my Lincoln buff friends who is a great champion of technology and one of the most social media-savvy fellows I know, was watching coverage from Washington on his cool compact notebook computer. I wasn’t able to that, so I was thankful to find it online later. I think you will be, too.

President Obama speaks at Abraham Lincoln Association Banquet
I was also fortunate to get my ticket early, before we even knew President Obama was coming to Springfield for Lincoln’s birthday bash. Being there when he spoke was almost surreal. It was one of those times in life where you take something in and try to savor every morsel of it, but feel almost as if you’re on the outside looking in. It’s great to have the C-SPAN video of the speech to listen to again and again to recreate the historic moment and to reflect on this new President’s words about the President we’ve long revered.

C-SPAN – Champion of Lincoln legacy
The bicentennial week festivities play only a small part in the commitment C-SPAN has for teaching people about Lincoln through the worldwide web.

C-SPAN continues to promote Lincoln. For earlier coverage of Lincoln events, authors and publications, be sure to return often to:

• Lincoln 200 Years,
• Book TV,
• Booknotes and
• Q & A.

You’ll also want to check out the C-SPAN book, Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President, edited by C-SPAN's CEO Brian Lamb and co-president Susan Swain. Profits from the book go to a great cause, as C-SPAN is directing any royalties from the sale of the book to the nonprofit C-SPAN Educational Foundation which creates teaching materials for middle and high school teachers.

My C-SPAN connection
It’s always neat when you have a brush with greatness. My first personal encounter with C-SPAN came in the 1990s when the network came to my hometown of Galesburg (Ill.) to film the Lincoln-Douglas debate reenactment at the Knox College’s Old Main.

My job at the time kept me from participating directly in the event, but many folks whom I knew from the community were dressed in period dress, some of my customers were actors in the production and the store where I worked catered food for the cast of hundreds. I did get to join the audience for a few minutes late in the afternoon and felt the importance of the legacy this piece would leave.

In 2005, when I attended several days of events surrounding the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, C-SPAN was there. They filmed many of the events I attended, including the dedication ceremony visit by our 43rd President George W. Bush and a then-senator who was to become our 44th President, Barack Obama.

During one of the events, I got to ask a question of a three-generation panel of Lincoln scholars – David Herbert Donald, Harold Holzer and Matthew Pinsker. I knew I wanted to someday do work related to Lincoln, but lamented that I feared I may be coming at it too late in life. I asked the panel, moderated by Brian Lamb, for advice. Their advice was sincere, direct and heart-felt: “Come to events like this one. Study Lincoln. Get to know those who share your passion.” That’s what my journey and this blog are all about.

I didn’t count on having to answer a question myself, though, but Lamb did what he does so well. He asked the million-dollar question – the one that makes the interviewee look inward – and he asked it of me: “If you wrote about Lincoln, what would you write about?”

I didn’t know the answer to the question that day. I just knew then I wanted to help tell the Lincoln story. After three years of introspection, hours of study and time spent in the Lincoln community, I can answer that question, and I have Lamb and his network to thank for it.

Over the next couple years, I’ll be developing my plans for the Lincoln topics I know I can best cover. Along the way, I’ll keep sharing Lincoln-related information with the rest of you. Thanks for visiting Lincoln Buff 2 blog.

And, Mr.Lamb, thanks for asking the question that made me look at my Lincoln interests in a deeper light. You’ll never know what it meant to me.

Bicentennial doesn't disappoint

Folks, the Lincoln buff is here in Springfield and the party has begun. Here's what I've been up to the last couple days, and there's ton's more fun to come.

Saturday, Feb, 7 events
I heard I missed some great events. Apparently, there was a wonderful spiritual concert at the Old State Capitol on Saturday night. I ran into a man today who said his wife couldn't stop saying good things about it. I've talked to several, too, who attended Saturday evening's Order of Lincoln award dinner. Apparently, all but a couple of the nominees were able to make it - pretty good considering they were from all over the country and even one from England.

Sunday presentations
I attended two Sunday activities - a lecture by author and Columbia University professor Eric Foner and a panel discussion with Dan Weinberg of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago, along with Judge Frank Williams, Philip Kunhardt III, Louise Taper and Jack Smith.

Foner's lecture was super. This man can boil a complex topic down and make it understandable, and even entertain while he does it. Those who've had him as students are blessed. He talked about the evolution of Lincoln's views on slavery, which is no easy thing to condense, and left me thinking, "If anyone can help me understand reconstruction, Foner can. I need to read his book!"

Foner was doing a book signing, but because of another commitment, I didn't take time to meet him. I regret that, but do hope I get to meet him at the Lincoln Forum Symposium at Gettysburg in the fall.

Collecting Lincoln
Weinberg's panel discussion was really cool. These folks all have incredible Lincoln collections and it was interesting hearing how they all got started and watching the healthy ribbing and rivalry they have. I'll share more about how each of them got started and a little about some of the items they've had an opportunity to own or to pass on to others through the years.

I got to meet all but Smith afterwards. I still say these Lincoln scholars are the warmest, most encouraging folks I've ever met. Yesterday was no exception. I look forward to getting to know these people better as I pursue my Lincoln work.

Monday morning
I had an errand to run before I came to Springfield this morning, so I got down mid-morning. I'd made my birthday card for Lincoln last night and went to the Old State Capitol to drop it off. I forgot the new stamps were issued today - right there! There were two lines inside - one for purchasing the stamps and another for getting the visiting dignitary's autograph. Both wound the length of the inside of the building when I was there shortly before 11 a.m.

I spent the next hour dropping in on some folks in the Old State Capitol area. My first stop was Tingley's Dry Goods Store, a fun little shop down the block from the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices.

From there, I stopped in to see the folks at Looking for Lincoln. They're keeping really busy, opening new wayside exhibits - Mt. Pulaski the other day and Quincy today. And, they're getting ready to host hundreds of fifth graders and other interested guests at the Farewell to Springfield event at the Prairie Convention Center on Wednesday.

I also made my first visit to a legendary Springfield book store, Prairie Archives. I'll devote an entire blog to it someday. This is a place you have to experience with your senses, and it will be worth the wait

After a very nice visit over lunch with a Lincoln scholar friend, I headed to Lincoln's Home for the afternoon. I told you a few weeks ago that they'd gussied the home up for company. The new carpet and wallpaper in the parlor really looks nice, and as I walked the neighborhood, I could see busy little National Park Service beavers getting the grounds in the Lincoln Home neighborhood all spruced up.

This evening's lecture was by Oxford scholar and Lincoln Prize winning author Richard Carwardine, whom I had he pleasure of getting to know better this week. He talked about Lincoln and the world and shared information about an upcoming Lincoln conference in England. I'll share more on that after the bicentennial.

I did meet a couple of really neat people tonight - a member of the Oregon bicentennial commission and Decatur (Ill.) Lincoln presenter Lonn Presnall.

I'll try to fill you in by Wednesday about the Tuesday events i attended. I've got a couple really cool things planned, and tomorrow night I hope to watch Prelude to the Presidency as it airs on PBS here in Springfield. I may even try to twitter again - didn't have much time for it today.

*Forgive me for not putting links in. I'm still trying to learn the laptop. I'll plug some in after the bicentennial events slow down. In the meantime, please google.

Don’t forget: Look for Lincoln

I told you the other day about the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition and their My Hero essay and artwork contest. There is another Looking for Lincoln and one well worth pursuing.

Be sure to watch the PBS film, “Looking for Lincoln,” by Kunhardt Productions, read the companion book and visit the wonderful interactive and educational website which accompanies the two.

Kunhardts - worth a second look - a third - and more
This isn’t my first time to write about the great work of the Kunhardts and it won’t be the last. I want to learn and write more about the Meserve-Kunhardt photos, the new numbering system and more. I’ll be hearing Philip Kunhardt III speak in Springfield during the Bicentennial events and I’m hoping to get to meet him. Maybe we can get an interview lined up sometime so I can get the most complete and accurate information about this amazing family and their work.

In the meantime, be sure to read my friend Pete Sherman’s article about the Kunhardt film in today’s State Journal-Register to learn more about the film.

Not the first on Kunhardts
You may also want to read my earlier Kunhardt articles:

• January 28
• January 12
• December 21

Watch online if you miss it on TV
And, the really cool thing is that if you can’t catch the PBS special on TV on Feb. 11, you’ll be able to watch it online through the website. For people like me who will be attending other Lincoln events that evening, for educators wanting to share it with their kids and for others who just want to go back and see it again and again, this is super!

Remember, keep looking for Lincoln. He’s all around you…

Lincoln in sculpture – Fleeting and lasting

One of the benefits of this Lincoln blog is the fellow Lincoln buffs I’ve met – scholars, authors, photographers, educators, fellow Lincoln bloggers. It’s really neat when they share their enthusiasm, experience, knowledge and tips.

Weigers captures Lincoln images
Recently, one of my readers tipped me off to a fleeting Abraham Lincoln sculpture here in Illinois – a sculpture made of snow. The reader, David Wiegers of Gurnee (Ill.), has crossed the country taking photographs of more than 200 sculptures of the 16th President. He’s planning to publish them in a book, with a tentative title, “A Life Worth Remembering - the Monumental Legacy of Abraham Lincoln.” In the meantime, you can see his work and many of the statues he’s captured at the “Looking for Lincoln” PBS film website. More on this Kunhardt-produced film with Doris Kearns Goodwin, Harold Holzer and others later.

Weigers learned of a Lincoln snow portrait being crafted in Aurora (Ill.) this week. I sent email to the media contact this morning to make sure it was still on. It is, so here’s the scoop from the Aurora Public Art Commission.

The nitty-gritty snowy details

• What: Abraham Lincoln ‘Snow Portrait in Progress’
• Where: Next to the David L. Pierce Center, Aurora (Ill.)
• When: Monday – Friday, Jan. 26 - 30, 2009
• Meet the artists: Snow portrait reception on Friday, Jan. 30 from 3 – 7 p.m.

The rest of the snow scoop*
In honor of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial the Aurora Public Art Commission has commissioned a portrait of Lincoln, to be carved in snow by sculptor Joseph Gagnepain. This large-scale bust will be located in APAC’s sculpture garden, which is adjacent to the Pierce Center at 20 East Downer Place .

Gagnepain, a local freelance artist, has been carving snow for the past four years. With his teammates from Eau Claire, (Wisc.) "The Starvin' Carvists” have participated in multiple national and international snow sculpting competitions and commissions in Michigan, Illinois, and Italy. Last year his team placed first and second in an international competition held in two villages in Northern Italy.

To create the Aurora Public Art Commission’s Lincoln Bicentennial snow portrait, Gagnepain is assembling a team of local talent including Ed Pineada, Pete "Blast" Barrett and Marcus Mason. After foot packing (imagine stomping grapes for wine) the snow into a concrete form with snow plowed off of Mastodon Lake, the artists will use a model and photographs to scale the image onto the eight-foot block of snow. Differing from ice sculpting, the artists only employ hand tools - shovels, scrapers, horse brushes, saws, and homemade sanders.

In writing about his outdoor winter works, Gagnepain has stated: "I love snow sculpting, being close to nature, enjoying crisp/dry winter air, and being hands on with the pristine beauty of wonderful, white snow. I look forward to a good, snowy, cold winter each year."

Joseph Gagnepain is honored to have the opportunity to create a sculpture of Abraham Lincoln. A long time admirer of this former president, he has always wanted to use him as the subject for a work of art. The project also strikes a personal chord of pride for Gagnepain, as ancestors on his mother's side are cousins to Mary Todd Lincoln.The Lincoln portrait will be on display as long the cold weather holds.

* Thanks to Kathleen Swigart of the Aurora Public Art Commission for the information on the snow sculpture and a special thanks to my friend Dave Wiegers for the tip.

George S. McGovern on Virtual Book Signing

-- Updated 5:15 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009

If you’ve never watched a Virtual Book Signing from the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop, you’re missing out. In December, I had the privilege of watching owner Daniel R. Weinberg talk with Philip Kunhardt, III, about Looking for Lincoln, the book Kunhardt co-authored with his brother and nephew, Peter W. Kunhardt and Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr.

On Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009* at 6 p.m. Central Time, you can see former Senator George S. McGovern talk with Weinberg about McGovern’s book, Abraham Lincoln: The American Presidents Series: The 16th President, 1861-1865 (Hardcover).

Visit the Virtual Book Signing website to:

• watch online,
• order your copy of McGovern’s book or
• see details about the signing.

About Abraham Lincoln Book Shop
The Abraham Lincoln Book Shop was opened in 1938 by Ralph G. Newman, a contemporary of Carl Sandburg and the editor of Lincoln for the Ages. Newman’s book is one of the “must haves” in my Lincoln library. It contains the work of 76 authors who tell the story of Lincoln from the cradle to the grave and beyond. Lincoln for the Ages, by the way, was one of the books published around the time of Lincoln’s Sesquicentennial. My guess is that there weren’t as many Lincoln books published from 1958-1960 as there will be from 2008-2010.

Weinberg was Newman’s partner in the book store beginning in 1971 and purchased the founder’s interest in 1984. He and James L. Swanson are the authors of Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Execution.

See Weinberg and others in person next month
Weinberg is a leading authority on Lincoln documents, books and memorabilia. He’ll be moderating a panel discussion on Collecting Lincoln at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library on Feb.8, 2009 at 2 p.m. Collectors on the slate to speak that day are Kunhardt, Louise Taper, Chief Justice Frank Williams and Jack Smith. Though admission is free, you do need to call 217-558-8934 to make reservations to attend. I've heard all but Smith speak before and I'll guarantee hearing them share their passion will be time well spent.

These are just a handful of the Lincoln authorities, scholars and authors who will be in Springfield the week of Lincoln’s birthday.

• Visit the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission website to learn about all the other exciting events going on in Springfield and Illinois in celebration of the bicentennial.
• For events across the nation, see the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission website or Abraham Lincoln Online.
  

*Earlier I listed the wrong date. The signing is on the 15th, not the 14th, as previously stated. I apologize for the error and any confusion it may have caused. Ann

Thanks, Kunhardts, for building on a legacy

Recently, I was looking for an audio book about Lincoln to “read” on my commute to work. The first one I ran across in a nearby library was Lincoln: A Biography by Philip B Kunhardt, Jr., Philip B Kunhardt III and Peter W. Kunhardt. Nearly as soon as I began listening to it, I knew it was going to be time well spent.

Just the beginning
Even in this abridged 1992 audiotape, the Kunhardts’ coverage of Lincoln’s evolving views of slavery and African-Americans proved to be very comprehensive. And, considering this subject was to be one of the questions on an exam in the Lincoln course I was taking, the authors held me captive – so much so that I went back and also checked out the large-format unabridged hardcover, Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography.

As I spent two weekends and several evenings documenting the topic for the exam and future reference, I was amazed at how much depth this book had on slavery and a number of other facets of Lincoln’s life. I was just as amazed at how beautifully the volume was illustrated. I took advantage of the library’s liberal renewal policy to keep the book longer and to spend time savoring the photographs. I learned the book was printed as a companion piece to the trio’s four-part ABC mini-series on Lincoln.

Delving into the Kunhardt story
These guys and their work were impressive. I stepped away from Lincoln for a bit and began to research the Kunhardts, their books and their documentaries. I was excited to find there was much more to learn than just a tale of three guys who decided to write a book about Lincoln. There was a legacy here – a powerful one spanning five generations – from Frederick Hill Meserve (grandfather of Philip, Jr.) who was born the year Lincoln died, through Frederick’s daughter Dorothy (Mother of Philip Jr. and author of Pat the Bunny), then Philip, Jr., his sons Philip III and Peter, and Peter’s son Peter, Jr.

The legacy started when Meserve purchased the glass photographic negatives of Lincoln/ Civil War era photographer Matthew Brady. Thanks to Meserve’s wise investment, the rest of us can linger over these photos today and see back into Lincoln’s time with a clarity which wouldn’t have been possible without this man’s wisdom and foresight.

Sharing the treasures
Dorothy Meserve Kunhardt and her son, Philip, Jr., started the tradition of sharing these magnificent images in the book, Twenty Days: A Narrative in Text and Pictures of the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the Twenty Days and Nights That Followed--The Nation in Mourning, the Long Trip Home to Springfield. If I’m not mistaken, this volume was first published in 1965 on the centennial of Lincoln’s mournful trip home to Springfield.

Philip Jr. and his sons built on the tradition with the illustrated 1992 biography I stumbled upon. I was troubled to learn that Philip Jr. passed away in 2006, but delighted to learn that the next project, now hot off the press, is the work of his two sons and his grandson, Peter, Jr.

The latest Kunhardt work
I had the opportunity recently to hear Philip III talk about the new book, Looking for Lincoln: The Making of an American Icon, with Daniel Weinberg of The Abraham Lincoln Book Shop on Virtual Book Signing.* This book, too, draws from the family’s collection of images and draws upon each of the co-author’s unique gifts – Philip III’s gifts as a writer and his brother and son’s talents with the images and design work.

The book continues the Lincoln story, taking the reader from the assassination through the life of Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln. It, too, is a companion book, to an upcoming PBS documentary, but based on tradition, I’m sure it will stand well on its own. The legacy of the Kunhardts, like the legacy of Lincoln, is one which will remain strong for years to come.

Congratulations, Philip III and Peter
In February, Philip III and Peter will join other Lincoln experts in receiving a special Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial edition of the highest honor awarded by the State of Illinois, The Order of Lincoln. As is the case with the other honorees, this recognition of the brothers' longstanding commitment to Lincoln is well-deserved. Congratulations to both of you from someone who appreciates your work and laments of not discovering it earlier.

More to come
Watch for more information on this interesting family and their contributions to the Lincoln world, including a new numbering system for Lincoln photographs, in future Lincoln Buff 2 blog posts next year. If I told you everything I’ve learned about this talented family, I fear it would take me into the new year.

* Abraham Lincoln Book Shop and Virtual Book Signing: This is really cool! I even got to send a question via email, which Mr. Kunhardt answered on the air. I want to tell you more about the history of this institution and the new legacy they're creating with the virtual book signings. Watch for more on that next year, too.