Time for a change of pace....You can look it up: Jonesboro, Illinois is farther south than Richmond, Virginia. It was the site of the third Lincoln-Douglas Debate. In 1858, Abraham Lincoln, the Republican challenger to arguably the nation's most prominent Senate Democrat, squared off in seven debates--scholars are still studying them.
Of the seven towns that hosted the debates, present day Jonesboro is the least populated, it has just over 1,800 residents.
The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial celebration began two months ago--it will last two years. Lincoln was born in 1809 near Hodgenville, Kentucky.
Nearly forgotten, however, is that this year will mark the 150th anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates.
Tiny Jonesboro is doing its part to mark the ommemorations--earlier this weeek, statues of "Honest Abe" and "The Little Giant" were erected in the park where the third debate took place.
And I just might drop by there next month. More on that tomorrow.
The picture is not from Jonesboro--that's one of the better-known Lincoln statues, which you can find behind the Chicago History Museum. Click here to read the Southern Illinoisan story--and see what Jonesboro has.
Amazon special through April 18: Buy two Blu-ray discs, get one free
Related posts:
Thirty hours in Lincoln's Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln birthplace site
Abraham Lincoln birthplace site's log cabin
"My earliest recollection is of the Knob Creek place"
I found this bit of history in downtown Chicago today
Book review: Andrew Ferguson's "Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe's America"
Andrew Ferguson video on his new book, Land of Lincoln
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