On Feb. 21, 1861, on his way to his inauguration, Abraham Lincoln made a brief appearance in Bucks County, writes JD Mullane in the Bucks County Courier Times.
Lincoln’s train arrived in Bristol, his 84th stop on his 93-stop journey from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, D.C.
All that remains of his Bucks County visit are 75 feet of rusted Pennsylvania Railroad tracks and a state roadside marker.
Retired high school history teacher Bill Pezza thought it was time to construct a more meaningful monument. He and other members of the Raising the Bar group got to work.
“I thought this could be a real educational asset, being so close to the school,” said Pezza. “It could be a tourist asset. Some sort of interactive thing.”
The office of State Representative Tina Davis has helped the group acquire $60,000 already.
The new monument will recreate Lincoln’s speech to the 1,000 individuals who gathered to hear him speak.
A metal cutout of a train station platform will be constructed along with a rendering of Lincoln. Eight metal cutouts of various citizens will represent the crowd.
The site will also include place cards and brief biographies of the citizens.
Read more about Abraham Lincoln’s Bucks County visit and the new Bristol monument in development in the Bucks County Courier Times.
_______
