Illinois' state-owned Abraham Lincoln library and museum to sell its Marilyn Monroe dress to repay loan

Marathon Pundit family with the Lincoln
family--John Wilkes Booth on the far left.
(Booth's wax figure has since been removed
from the museum.)

And why does the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, which is owned and operated by the state of Illinois, have a Marilyn Monroe dress among its artifacts?

Other than being familiar pop art icons, our 16th president has nothing in common with Monroe. Oh, part of that Lincoln library Monroe haul is a bust of Carl Sandburg--whose biography of our greatest president earned him a Pulitzer prize--was once owned by the movie star.

Wow, that's a reach.

Why does the ALPLM own this dress?

Perhaps the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library is interested in Marilyn's old dress. Now there is a connection to be sure.

From AP:

The foundation that supports the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, is selling a black dress once owned by movie star Marilyn Monroe to raise funds to repay a loan used to buy artifacts relating to the 16th president and keep the presidential relics available for public viewing.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation is putting nine items up for auction in Las Vegas June 23, including photos of the 1950s movie icon by photographer Arnold Newman, The Chicago Tribune reported . The wool dress could sell for more than $60,000, according to Julien's Auctions.

"Getting (Monroe) items is becoming more and more difficult," said Darren Julien, president and CEO of the auction house. "The supply's less and less, but demand's more and more because you have people in Asia and Russia and all over the world that are collecting pop culture - especially Marilyn Monroe."

Foundation officials hope proceeds from the auction will allow the foundation to avoid selling presidential memorabilia.

Last week the library announced that he may have to sell off the Lincoln items it purchased with that loan, including the gloves the 16th president was wearing when he has assassinated and a stovepipe hat that he may not have even owned.

Illinois is suffering from negative population growth, it has one of the worst-funded state worker pension systems, and it has the lowest credit rating ever for a state.

The state can't run the state and it can't run its Lincoln library.

Illinois used to be the Land of Lincoln. Now it's a national punchline.

Related post:

Life imitates SNL: Abraham Lincoln library foundation may be forced to sell off artifacts to pay debt