Trivia Advent Calendar

[Eva Elisabeth]

Very good, Roger and Joe, that is the correct location and background story. Thanks for all your replies! Actually I was looking for the bizarre watermelon slice monument (made of painted steel) there:
   
Isn't this summerly?

Lincoln, Illinois, is the only town to be named after Abraham Lincoln while he was alive and with his consent and participation.

In 1853, the Chicago and Alton railroad was constructed about a mile east of Postville, and developers founded a new community in the vicinity of the railroad tracks. The town's developers (Robert Latham, John D. Gillett, and Virgil Hickox) proudly asked their distinguished attorney, Abraham Lincoln (also the railroad's attorney), if he would agree to have the town named after him. As Joe mentioned, according to Judge Stringer, he allegedly commented: "I never knew anything named Lincoln that amounted to much." On August 27, 1853 Abraham Lincoln christened his namesake community by slicing open a melon and pouring its juice onto the ground. According to the sign behind the statue Lincoln said: “Gentlemen, I am requested by the proprietors of the town site to christen it. I have selected the juice of a melon for that purpose, pouring it on the ground. Therefore, in your presence and hearing, I now christen this town site. Its name is Lincoln and soon to be named the permanent capital of Logan County. I have also prepared a feast for the occasion.”

Abraham Lincoln returned to Lincoln, Illinois, a number of times, the last time on May 3, 1865 - on the funeral train back to Springfield.

In October 1976 President Gerald Ford stopped by the town and recreated the famous watermelon juice drop:
   
This and more background info on this bit of history: http://findinglincolnillinois.com/alinco...olnil.html