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The Lincoln Highway National Museum & Archives 102 Old Lincoln Way West Galion, Ohio 44833 (419) 462-2212 Voice |
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Number 4
Big Piece of the Puzzle
Dear Friends,
Because of the late date, I'm going to jump around a little and will try and fill in the gaps later.
"The Big Piece of the Puzzle" came on day two of the Journey.
I was on the outskirts of Lima, Ohio when I saw it -An Ohio Bicentenial Barn...in progress.
As some of you may know, Ohio's Bicentennial is coming up in 2003.
As part of the celebration, they're painting the Bicentennial Logo on a barn in each of Ohio's 88 counties.
It has been quite seccessful and an award winning project.
Occasionally, I'd see a picture in the paper which indicated another one completed.
Each time, I'd think to myself, "Sure would be neat to watch one being painted."
So,here was my chance...
I almost drove on by, but then decided to turn around and check it out.
When I pulled in the drive there were several cars over near the barn.
I walked over to introduce myself and looked in the window...
I almost fell over...
Check out the titles of the books...
What happen next is nothing short of amazing.
Enter Beth Hanson, regional director of the Ohio Bicentennial.
What make this so strange is that for more that a year she'd been on my list of people to call.
I began to explain about my trip and the Lincoln Highway Project when it hit me like a bolt of lightning.
For years I had been trying to figure out how to bridge the Ohio Bicentennial with the Lincoln Highway
in a way that made sense.
2003 would be the 75th Anniversary of the Boy Scout markers, but it just didn't fit.
It was out of context and what did Ohio have to do with this,
outside of being a state the highway ran through that received markers.
Hardly a compelling event to tie with the Bicentennial.
Back in 1999, when I began The Lincoln Highway Comes of Age-
A Nationwide Millennium Project under the White House Millennium Council,
I had to pick up the Lincoln Highway Anniversary events in mid cycle.
The trip in the Fire Engine last year was to commemorate the 85th Anniversary of the 1915 film and flag trip.
Since I was unable to finish the trip last year and the Bush Administration was now in Washington,
I began to rethink the box.
I remembered a friends words in Washington.
"It's not too soon to begin planning for the Lincoln Bicentennial in 2009."
At the time it was 1999 and 2009 was 10 years out, so needless to say inspite of his comments,
I had yet to comtemplate this far out.
But suddenly, it made sense...
If we started in 2003 with the 90th Anniversary of the Dedication and went through 2009
we would get a complete cycle ending with the Grand Finalle-
The Army Convoy that started in front of the White House.
Now all the pieces fit...
Enter the Ohio Bicentennial in 2003.
Why not use the Ohio Bicentinnial to kick off the Lincoln Bicentennial??
What could be more perfect...
Remember, Ohio cast the deciding votes that gave Lincoln the Presidency,
and Mansfield, Ohio was the first community in the US to put forth his name as a candidate.
In addition, two cabinet members were from Ohio, he spoke before the Ohio House
and both Cleveland and Columbus hosted funeral services.
All pretty neat, but here's the kicker...
For several years now I have been working with members of the Ohio State Marching Band
encouraging them to put together a Lincoln Highway Half time Show.
The Idea is to have music available to college and high school bands all across the land
for Lincoln Highway Halftime shows for the Anniversary of the Dedication on October 31st.
There are several Lincoln Highway Marches that could be arranged as well as the Battle Hymn,
Stars and Stripes and then the 1939 finale to the movie Babes in Arms called God's Country.
As part of the Ohio Bicentennial and the kick off of the Lincoln Bicentennial Events
we could have the Ohio State Marching Band perform the Lincoln Highway Half time show
for the first time in 2003 before a live TV audience.
As the finale they could do a script or shilohette of Lincoln and have the President,
or get this Gerald Payn come out and dot the Eye of Lincoln.
Gerald Payne you ask???
He has helped me on many occasions at the museum with his Lincoln Portrayals...
OK, thats nice but what does he have to do with dotting the eye???
He was a member of the Ohio State Marching Band plays the tuba and has dotted the eye before...
Pretty neat...
He could come out in his Lincoln outfit and tuba and dot the eye.
OK so back to the Barn..
Scott, the painter and I began to set up a few shots
I took this picture and then the batteries on the digital cameral gave out and I had to shoot film for the rest.
Scott was excited about the images, so I said I'd send him copies.
Then took off for Lima to put up the flag at the fire house...
The Lima firefighters donated $74 dollars for the fuel fund,
so I went off to fill her up, pick up a copy of the TV News and have the photos developed.
Spent the night only to have a huge explosion go off around 9 or 10 pm...
The local BP Plant suffered a huge blow off that shook the town with one big boom and several smaller ones.
It was pretty tense there for a while.
Next morning against my better judgement, went back to give Scott a set of prints
and ended up spending most of the day...but got a nice shot of the completed barn
and was even part of the Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony...
Like I said, where ever I go events control me and there is always someone to meet me and guide me to the right place.
Had the digital camera batteries not failed, I wouldn't have been forced to shoot film and return the next day...
Funny how things work out...
Until Next time...
BACK-03
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NEXT-05
HOME
Designed By: The Starman
You are Visitor #
Since December 23, 2001
Because of the late date, I'm going to jump around a little and will try and fill in the gaps later.
"The Big Piece of the Puzzle" came on day two of the Journey.
I was on the outskirts of Lima, Ohio when I saw it -An Ohio Bicentenial Barn...in progress.
As some of you may know, Ohio's Bicentennial is coming up in 2003.
As part of the celebration, they're painting the Bicentennial Logo on a barn in each of Ohio's 88 counties.
It has been quite seccessful and an award winning project.
Occasionally, I'd see a picture in the paper which indicated another one completed.
Each time, I'd think to myself, "Sure would be neat to watch one being painted."
So,here was my chance...
I almost drove on by, but then decided to turn around and check it out.
When I pulled in the drive there were several cars over near the barn.
I walked over to introduce myself and looked in the window...
I almost fell over...
Check out the titles of the books...
What happen next is nothing short of amazing.
Enter Beth Hanson, regional director of the Ohio Bicentennial.
What make this so strange is that for more that a year she'd been on my list of people to call.
I began to explain about my trip and the Lincoln Highway Project when it hit me like a bolt of lightning.
For years I had been trying to figure out how to bridge the Ohio Bicentennial with the Lincoln Highway
in a way that made sense.
2003 would be the 75th Anniversary of the Boy Scout markers, but it just didn't fit.
It was out of context and what did Ohio have to do with this,
outside of being a state the highway ran through that received markers.
Hardly a compelling event to tie with the Bicentennial.
Back in 1999, when I began The Lincoln Highway Comes of Age-
A Nationwide Millennium Project under the White House Millennium Council,
I had to pick up the Lincoln Highway Anniversary events in mid cycle.
The trip in the Fire Engine last year was to commemorate the 85th Anniversary of the 1915 film and flag trip.
Since I was unable to finish the trip last year and the Bush Administration was now in Washington,
I began to rethink the box.
I remembered a friends words in Washington.
"It's not too soon to begin planning for the Lincoln Bicentennial in 2009."
At the time it was 1999 and 2009 was 10 years out, so needless to say inspite of his comments,
I had yet to comtemplate this far out.
But suddenly, it made sense...
If we started in 2003 with the 90th Anniversary of the Dedication and went through 2009
we would get a complete cycle ending with the Grand Finalle-
The Army Convoy that started in front of the White House.
Now all the pieces fit...
Enter the Ohio Bicentennial in 2003.
Why not use the Ohio Bicentinnial to kick off the Lincoln Bicentennial??
What could be more perfect...
Remember, Ohio cast the deciding votes that gave Lincoln the Presidency,
and Mansfield, Ohio was the first community in the US to put forth his name as a candidate.
In addition, two cabinet members were from Ohio, he spoke before the Ohio House
and both Cleveland and Columbus hosted funeral services.
All pretty neat, but here's the kicker...
For several years now I have been working with members of the Ohio State Marching Band
encouraging them to put together a Lincoln Highway Half time Show.
The Idea is to have music available to college and high school bands all across the land
for Lincoln Highway Halftime shows for the Anniversary of the Dedication on October 31st.
There are several Lincoln Highway Marches that could be arranged as well as the Battle Hymn,
Stars and Stripes and then the 1939 finale to the movie Babes in Arms called God's Country.
As part of the Ohio Bicentennial and the kick off of the Lincoln Bicentennial Events
we could have the Ohio State Marching Band perform the Lincoln Highway Half time show
for the first time in 2003 before a live TV audience.
As the finale they could do a script or shilohette of Lincoln and have the President,
or get this Gerald Payn come out and dot the Eye of Lincoln.
Gerald Payne you ask???
He has helped me on many occasions at the museum with his Lincoln Portrayals...
OK, thats nice but what does he have to do with dotting the eye???
He was a member of the Ohio State Marching Band plays the tuba and has dotted the eye before...
Pretty neat...
He could come out in his Lincoln outfit and tuba and dot the eye.
OK so back to the Barn..
Scott, the painter and I began to set up a few shots
I took this picture and then the batteries on the digital cameral gave out and I had to shoot film for the rest.
Scott was excited about the images, so I said I'd send him copies.
Then took off for Lima to put up the flag at the fire house...
The Lima firefighters donated $74 dollars for the fuel fund,
so I went off to fill her up, pick up a copy of the TV News and have the photos developed.
Spent the night only to have a huge explosion go off around 9 or 10 pm...
The local BP Plant suffered a huge blow off that shook the town with one big boom and several smaller ones.
It was pretty tense there for a while.
Next morning against my better judgement, went back to give Scott a set of prints
and ended up spending most of the day...but got a nice shot of the completed barn
and was even part of the Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony...
Like I said, where ever I go events control me and there is always someone to meet me and guide me to the right place.
Had the digital camera batteries not failed, I wouldn't have been forced to shoot film and return the next day...
Funny how things work out...
Until Next time...
BACK-03 |
Email-Index |
NEXT-05 |
HOME |
Designed By: The Starman
You are Visitor #
Since December 23, 2001