Abraham Lincoln Relief Sculpture

[RJNorton]

Thank you to Mike Gross of this forum for sending this information. Mike came across a little known "statue" of Abraham Lincoln in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky.

"Perhaps due in part to its obscure location, the sculpture, which is now included on a Smithsonian Art Museum list of Kentucky outdoor sculptures, was virtually forgotten until it was brought to public attention several years ago."

https://www.kentuckyliving.com/lifestyle...tal-thanks

[L Verge]

Great story and great monument. Reminds me of the wayside statues for the religious so long ago.

[Gene C]

Interesting article.

For all you intrepid explorers out there, this is located in one of the poorest counties in KY, perhaps the whole US.
The county seat has a city population of 81 (down form 232 back in 1990).
Coal mining and tobacco were it's biggest industries.
Many of the people in Eastern KY are very private and suspicious of strangers, so one needs to be cautious when traveling off the main roads. This is somewhat complicated by the fact that there are no major highways traveling through this county and it is very rural.

[mbgross]

Sound advice on the travel to Eastern KY. I taught in the area for a while. People did view me suspiciously because I was not from there. But when I told them that my parents were from the area they accepted me and they let their guard down. If you get to know them, they can be some of the kindest people you will ever meet.

[Lincolnphotog]

I actually drove to where this relief statue is located. Down a back road and up a gravel driveway; across a creek and up to a doublewide trailer. Honked the horn because there were about a half dozen dogs in the yard and they sounded and acted none too friendly. No one was home - I guess. From where I was, it looked like it could be a pretty good climb to get to the carving and I wasn't about to go up there myself and take a chance of getting bite by a dog or shot.

[LincolnMan]

Fascinating Lincoln item. Never saw it before. Lincolnphotog: so close but yet so far!