Friday, September 19, 2008 9:47 PM CDT
New ornament depicting Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum available today
By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — Including the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum in a series of ornaments depicting Charleston area landmarks has been on organizers’ minds for years.
Still, Cindy Titus of the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce said the timing was not right until now — the 150th anniversary of the historic debates between U.S. Senate candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.
Lincoln, portrayed by George Buss, and Douglas, portrayed by Tim Connors, both of Freeport, were on hand Friday afternoon to unveil the new ornament in front of the museum at the Coles County Fairgrounds, where the Sept. 18, 1858, debate took place.
Both actors will take part in festivities Saturday at the fairgrounds. As Lincoln and Douglas, they will take the stage at 1:30 p.m. and reminisce about the Charleston debate. The festivities are part of “Reunion Tour ‘08” celebrations in all seven cities that hosted debates.
The 24-karat gold-plated ornaments will be sold for $15 each at Saturday’s celebration. The ornament depicts the museum, includes portraits of Lincoln and Douglas, references the debates’ sesquicentennial, and notes Charleston was the site of the fourth debate.
“What a neat way to commemorate the Lincoln-Douglas debate,” said Debbie England, president of Easter Seals of Central Illinois.
Proceeds from the Charleston Landmark Series Ornament of Hope program support Easter Seals’ services for children and adults with disabilities in Coles County. This includes disability awareness programs, summer speech therapy, and AgrAbility programs for disabled farmers.
For example, England said AgrAbility provides lifts to help disabled farmers climb onto the seats of their combines so they can remain self-sufficient and independent.
“This has been a lovely collaboration for the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce and Easter Seals of East Central Illinois for 10 years,” Titus said, noting the debate museum is the 10th ornament in the series.
The series also has depicted Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, the home of Lincoln’s father and stepmother, and the Five Mile House, where Lincoln is thought to have rested during his travels as a circuit-riding attorney.
Charleston’s debate museum, which opened in 2000, is billed as the only museum in Illinois that retraces the seven debates between Lincoln and Douglas.
The debate museum features hands-on exhibits, interactive displays, an orientation movie, audio selections, artifacts and photos, a children’s area and a gift shop. This site is open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
Copies of the debate museum ornament can be purchased at Towne Square Jewelers and the chamber office in Charleston, The Picket Fence in Mattoon, and the Easter Seals office in Decatur.
After shaking hands as Lincoln and Douglas over the unveiled ornament, Buss and Connors admired their copies of the ornament.
Connors, who plans to place the ornament on his Christmas tree this year, said he has enjoyed seeing the different ways each debate community has commemorated the 150th anniversary.
“The flavor of each community really comes through with something like this, and it’s an exciting thing to be part of,” Connors said. “What a lovely gift, and it’s always going to be that memory of Charleston.”
Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 348-5734.
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