Lincoln Exhibition at The Reagan Presidential Library

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth

on this continent a new nation,

conceived in liberty 

and dedicated to the proposition 

that all men are bread equal.

~Abraham Lincoln

Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863

Pocket Watch of Abraham Lincoln

Life and Times of Abraham Lincoln

June 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013

At the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Simi Valley, California

from the website: 

"Twenty-five renowned Lincoln collectors and DreamWorks Studios join the Reagan Library for a major Abraham Lincoln Exhibit. objects on display include President Lincoln's famous stovepipe hat, a bloodied pillow from the night he died, a Lincoln-signed Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment, and sets from DreamWorks' "Lincoln" Movie."

Stovepipe hat of Abraham Lincoln. He used to store things in his hat, while he was wearing it! Amazing to imagine this was on his head ...

Lincoln is my nephew's favorite president, so this summer my parents and I decided to take him to the Lincoln Exhibition, at the Reagan Presidential Library. It was amazing to see many of his personal items and writings, in person. I'm so happy we made it!

Leather case, belonging to Mary Todd Lincoln 

Sets and costumes from the film Lincoln, by Stephen Spielberg 

... I know that the Lord is always on the side of right.

But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I

and this nation be on the Lord's side.

~ Abraham Lincoln, 

Set of Lincoln's office, from the film, Lincoln.

I walk slowly, 

but I never walk backward.

~Abraham Lincoln

One of many handwritten letters and speeches by Lincoln, in the exhibition ...

The better part of one's life consists of friendships ...

~Abraham Lincoln 

letter to Joseph Gillespie, 1849

Lincoln Presidential China - Lincoln chose the eagle, Mary chose the purple border, her favorite color.

Sleeping bonnet of Mary Todd Lincoln

Gutta-percha cases. It was common practice in the 19th century to carry one of these little cases with a photo and lock of hair. Above, Abraham Lincoln, and below, his son Willie who died in the white House in 1862, at the age of eleven.

Mary's gloves ...

My dad showing Benjamin, my nephew, remnants of the Civil War.

Below, medical tools of the time ... pretty horrific.

I pray that our Heavenly Father 

may assuage the anguish of your bereavement,

and leave you only the cherished memory 

of the loved and lost,

and the solemn pride that must be yours

to have laid so costly a sacrifice 

upon the altar of freedom.

~Abraham Lincoln

Letter to Lydia Bixby November 21, 1864

Uniforms of the civil war.

Below, the quill pen with which President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery

I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.

~Abraham Lincoln

Speech to One Hundred Fortieth Indiana Regiment

March 17, 1865

One of several pieces of election paraphernalia, this campaign banner was from Logan County, Illinois, 1860.

Our reliance is in the love of liberty

which God has planted in our bosoms.

Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit

which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men,

in all lands,

everywhere.

~ Abraham Lincoln

Speech at Chicago, 1858

Grand Reception of the Notabilities of the Nation, 

at the White House 1865 

Hand colored engraving

(On the evening of the 2nd inauguration)

-Lincoln shook hands with an estimated 5 to 6 thousand people.

A fragment of the coat he was wearing, during the assassination, at Ford's Theater.

Mock up of the bedroom, where he was taken, after being shot. The pillow is the actual pillow on which he died, at the Peterson Boarding house, near Ford's Theater.

Steel engraving of Ulysses S. Grant, 1868

William E. Marshall

My nephew loved it, when we told him that U.S. Grant is actually his relative! ... A distant cousin or uncle. I'm not sure, my sister is the genealogy expert.

Anyway, these were such gorgeous engravings! Difficult to photograph, because of an incredible amount of glare. You can see that I took the photos, from an angle, but they lovely and detailed, with so much dignity and humanity. I love them.

Steel engraving of Abraham Lincoln, 1868

William E. Marshall

Peace does not appear so distant as it did.

I hope it will come soon,

and come to stay;

and so come as to be worth the keeping 

in all future time.

~Abraham Lincoln

Letter to James Conkling, August 1863

This 37 Star United States flag, was laid upon the casket of President Lincoln, in Philadelphia, PA., Independence Hall, April 21, 1865.

The library is in Simi Valley, up on a hill. Great views but quite windy! Below, is where we sat and had lunch.

Views from the Presidential Library

A piece of the Berlin Wall

And, of course, my nephew had to see it again ... Air Force One!

This plane flew 7 presidents, including Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush. 

It's funny to see how un-techie it is. We forget how much has changed! Like the huge telephones and clunky VCRs and other equipment. Let's just say ... it's not exactly swanky or sleek inside. 

They don't let you take pictures inside the plane.

Air Force One Pavilion 

Boys love planes. Here's Ben. :)

The exhibition runs through September 30, 2013.

 Click here for more information.

Ken Burns, The Civil War: The Gettysburg Address

I leave you,

hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms 

until there shall no longer be a doubt

that all men are created free

and

equal.

~Abraham Lincoln

Blessings and light!

(I'm almost caught up on summer posting - back to Italy soon!)