Lincoln’s Last Train Ride

“Lincoln’s Last Train Ride” is an engaging look at the history of the funeral train that brought Abraham Lincoln back to Springfield, and the communities in Illinois that took part in this sad journey 156 years ago.

Looking for Lincoln Conversations has invited host Chris Vallillo to facilitate a conversation with Bill Thomas, Ron Keller and Justin Blandford about the funeral train through the eyes of the four Illinois communities where Lincoln lived and worked: Bloomington, Atlanta, Lincoln, and Springfield. This free event will be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 7 PM on the Looking for Lincoln Facebook and YouTube Channels.

The program will feature a panel with a wide knowledge base of the event and the communities it impacted. Bill Thomas currently serves as the Chairman of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership and lives in Atlanta, Illinois. Ron Keller is the Associate Professor of History and Political Science at Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois and Justin Blandford is the Superintendent of the State Historic Sites in Springfield Illinois.

These programs are free and broadcast live on Looking for Lincoln’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, and will end with a question and answer session with the virtual audience.

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Looking for Lincoln Conversations is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Looking for Lincoln Conversations is a series of live, virtual programs featuring a variety of topics surrounding the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. “Looking for Lincoln Conversations provides a unique way to share the stories of the life and times of Abraham Lincoln” said Executive Director, Sarah Watson. “We are able to engage with a virtual audience from throughout the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area and beyond.”

The Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition is the coordinating entity for the 43-county Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. It is a partnership of organizations and individuals dedicated to enhancing the communities and landscapes of central Illinois through recognition and support of their significant natural, cultural and historical legacies. Few individuals have so profoundly influenced American history as did Abraham Lincoln. Millions around the world are inspired by the story of Lincoln’s rise from humble beginnings to President of the United States, his qualities of integrity and courage and his decisive leadership – traits that carried a fragile nation through one of its most trying periods.

For more information about the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition and the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, go to www.lookingforlincoln.org.

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