Original Lincoln Home Cottage to be Reconstructed

[Joe Di Cola]

Sorry! It's me again.

My favorite of the "tours" with members of Roger's forum was the tour of the Menard County cemeteries. At least there are no replicas! Those who know me best from Roger's symposium (esp. Rob, Gene, Dave, and Scott) also know why I get livid over the so-called Ann Rutledge grave in Oakwood Cemetery, Petersburg, IL. Her original (and actual) grave is at the Old Concord Cemetery out in the midst of a cornfield. I have to overlook the "modern" gravestone (also the modern stone for Jack Armstrong), but at least they mark the graves. I also get incensed about the abomination that was erected near Ann and David Rutledge's graves to supposedly mark the grave of Ann's father. He is buried in Old Concord, but no one knows where, other than in the general vicinity of the other Rutledge graves.

I know that Bowling and Nancy Green's graves were relocated from their farmstead to Oakwood Cemetery in Petersburg, IL and that Mentor Graham's "remains" were transferred from South Dakota to Farmers Point Cemetery near New Salem and, perhaps, I should be incensed about that. But, the removal of Ann Rutledge, an attempt to promote the selling of plots in Oakwood Cemetery, and to me that is a ghoulish action.

Referring again to New Salem, when the village was first laid out and constructed, the trees were cut down to build the 20+ structures and so there was not the forested look that one sees today at the reconstructed site. The docents point this out and if they don't when I am within earshot I so inform visitors. The Rutledge tavern is "mis-located" and there is no reconstruction of the John Camron residence (and he was one of the founders of the village!). Nevertheless, visitors can see the layout and appearance of the reconstructed buildings on their original sites.

Anyway, I have thoroughly enjoyed the exchanges and only wish we could have done it while seated across from one another. Eva Elizabeth, perhaps one day we can all meet up in Springfield.