What happened to the original casket?

[BettyO]

Quote:I have a photo of myself wearing those Lily Irons, taken years ago, courtesy of Dr. Lattimer. They were huge - I could easily get my hands in and out of them, so Powell's hands must not have been but so small.....

Here's the photo of myself wearing Powell's Lilly Irons - this was taken at a Lincoln Group of NY meeting back in 1982 - wow....so, so long ago!

   

[RJNorton]

Thank you to Joe Di Cola for sending this photo taken in July 1930. It shows Herbert Wells Fay, former custodian of the Lincoln Tomb, standing next to the original sarcophagus that held Abraham Lincoln's coffin. Also, thank you to Rich Saal, photography editor of The State Journal-Register, for giving permission to use the photo.

Also, thanks to Joe for also sending this information:

"When Lincoln’s tomb was dedicated in 1874, his coffin was consigned to a marble sarcophagus in a chamber at the rear of the tomb. After the thwarted attempt to steal Lincoln’s body in 1876, Lincoln’s coffin was hidden in several locations until its final burial in 1901. During the intervening years between 1876 and 1901, the original sarcophagus remained in burial chamber. During a reconstruction of the tomb in Spring 1930, the sarcophagus was removed to the outside of the monument where, in July, it was photographed with Herbert Wells Fay standing next to it. By September of that year the sarcophagus had been smashed into pieces. How this happened is a moot point; some say it was the work of vandals or souvenir hunters, others that it was a mishap caused by a construction truck. The few remaining extant pieces are stored in the tomb, one of which was put briefly on display in 2013."

[LincolnToddFan]

It drives me batty to read about historical places, objects, being destroyed. I am almost obsessive about the preservation of history!
That is a stunning photo. Thank you Joe, and thanks Roger for producing it here.

[Gene C]

Joe Di Cola will be part of our Springfield Trip again this year. If you've been to Springfield before, and had a enjoyable time, you will have an even better time joining us because Joe is just so full of it (knowledge) that you can't help learning something new, and have fun at the same time. I wouldn't be surprised if Joe even knows the license plate number of that construction truck.

As an added bonus, Joe knows where all the good Italian restaurants are in Springfield. (Even more important and amazing, they know him!)
Come join us this Oct 10-12.