Has anyone ever heard of this? I bet Roger has!
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20141111/NEW.../1994/NEWS

Fascinating story, Rich. I never heard of this statue before.

All Rich needs to here is the word...."BURIED"

Sounds like fun guys, I'd love to join you. Can you wait till next October? Digging it up might make for an interesting night time excursion when we do our Springfield Tour 2015. Just don't tell my wife.
(I wonder if we can fit it into the back of my van?)

Does anyone have a backhoe we can borrow?

Here is some additional info: http://findinglincolnillinois.com/buried...tatue.html
The article was based on this essay by Darold Leigh Henson.

I tried to look at the head of the statue closely but the picture doesn't expand. It isn't my idea of the "typical" look for Lincoln. Seems really odd that a decision was made to bury it? Shame really- it's not that bad- and not worthy of being buried.

Additional reminiscence about the Civil War monument/Lincoln statue buried in Lincoln Part at Springfield, IL: http://findinglincolnillinois.com/buried...l#JWHollis

Thank you for posting that article. It was very interesting!

Rediscovering the identity of the sculptor who created the buried Lincoln statue in Lincoln Park, Springfield, IL--Joseph Petarde, "Peoria's Forgotten Sculptor": http://findinglincolnillinois.com/buried...ephpetarde

Thank you for posting this information, Dr. Henson. I have a copy of He Belongs to the Ages. Indeed the book mistakenly says Thomas A Green was the sculptor (p. 224). The endnote for the information points to the Lincoln National Life Foundation as the source. Thank you for correcting the error.

There is a chapter on this statue in Durman's book - He Belongs to the Ages - The Statues of Abrahm Lincoln.

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(07-22-2015, 03:41 PM)RJNorton Wrote: Thank you for posting this information, Dr. Henson. I have a copy of He Belongs to the Ages. Indeed the book mistakenly says Thomas A Green was the sculptor (p. 224). The endnote for the information points to the Lincoln National Life Foundation as the source. Thank you for correcting the error.

There are numerous mistakes in Durman's book as well as in Bullard's book - Lincoln in Marble and Bronze.

Rediscovered Replica of the Lincoln Statue Petarde Donated to Peoria's Kingman Primary School: http://findinglincolnillinois.com/buried...tuemystery

What an interesting post, thanks so much for sharing. I must say that even the small replica shows a very serene Lincoln. I wonder how many times he was able to sit quietly, read, and not have a care in the world...

I second Laurie. Thank you for posting, Dr. Henson.

Laurie, your comment about sitting quietly reminded me of this (perhaps not exactly as you were thinking, though). Those around him noticed that Abraham Lincoln could go from a happy state to a gloomy one very quickly. Fellow attorney Jonathan Birch said of Lincoln in court, "His eyes would sparkle with fun, and when he had reached the point in his narrative which invariably evoked the laughter of the crowd, nobody's enjoyment was greater than his. An hour later he might be seen in the same place or in some law office near by, but, alas, how different! His chair, no longer in the center of the room, would be leaning back against the wall; his feet drawn up and resting on the front rounds so that his knees and chair were about on a level; his hat tipped slightly forward as if to shield his face; his eyes no longer sparkling with fun or merriment, but sad and downcast and his hands clasped around his knees. There, drawn up within himself as it were, he would sit, the very picture of dejection and gloom. Thus absorbed have I seen him sit for hours at a time defying the interruption of even his closest friends. No one ever thought of breaking the spell by speech; for by his moody silence and abstraction he had thrown about him a barrier so dense and impenetrable no one dared to break through. It was a strange picture and one I have never forgotten."

Recently rediscovered, rare photo of Joseph Petarde working on his statue "The President": http://findinglincolnillinois.com/buried...epresident