Remembrance Program will Commemorate Lincoln’s Last Journey

Following the death of President Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865, the nation mourned its loss. After a funeral at the White House and a burial service in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, the President’s remains departed Washington, D.C., by train, bound for Springfield, Ill. The train made stops in the major cities along the route, including New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Chicago. Funerals, processions, and obsequies accompanied the visit in each of the cities over the two-week trip, and nearly a million Americans paid their respects at Lincoln’s coffin. Lincoln was finally laid to rest in a tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield on May 4, 1865. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the final journey of the President, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will host a special “Remembrance” program to honor the martyred leader at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2. “We felt that commemorating both Lincoln, and the way in which the country coped with its grief, was an important opportunity to help us better understand our history as a nation,” remarked Nathan Gonzales, Curator at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine. In addition to 19th century hymns, played by the Camp Carleton Cornet Band, the curators at the Shrine will each deliver abridged versions of actual remarks delivered at some of the funerals held for the President. “Hearing the words spoken about Lincoln exactly 150 years ago, in the presence of the replica of Lincoln’s coffin, will create a remarkable, moving, and memorable historical experience for everyone.” “This will be as close as any of us can ever get to being there in 1865,” said Associate Curator Maria Carrillo. The “Remembrance” program will take place at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine in Smiley Park, on Saturday, May 2, from 10:30-11:30am. The event is free, and all are welcome to attend. For more information, please contact the Shrine at (909) 798-7632 or visit www.lincolnshrine.org.