‘Looking for Lincoln’ Wayside Interpretive Sign unveiled in Anna
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Several dozen people gathered last Thursday afternoon for the dedication of Anna's new "Looking for Lincoln" Wayside Interpretive Sign.
A dedication ceremony was held at the Anna-Jonesboro Garden Club Park in east Anna, where the sign is on display. (The site formerly was known as Hindman Park.)
Guest speaker at the event was David Blanchette. Blanchette is the communications director for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield.
He also serves as spokesperson for the Illinois Historical Preservation Agency.
"This is a very proud moment," Blanchette told those who gathered in 94-degree heat for the dedication ceremony.
Blanchette said that the sign offered a way to promote the importance of local history to those in the community.
The new "Jonesboro Station, Anna" sign highlights the important role of the railroad in the history of Union County.
Wording on the sign reads: "In 1851, when the Illinois Central Railroad began surveying land in Union County, the county seat of Jonesboro was thought to be the logical choice for the location of the tracks.
"However, the city fathers declined to pay the required $50 surveying fee.
"Jonesboro businessman Winstead Davie was not one to ignore an opportunity and personally paid the cost of the survey across his land east of Jonesboro.
"He donated thirty-seven acres in 1852 and named the new site Anna, after his wife.
"There was one disappointment, however. The sign on the depot read JONESBORO STATION for almost twenty years.
"Finally, in 1873 the sign was replaced by one reading Anna."
The sign also features information about Abraham Lincoln's visit to Union County in 1858, as well as details about the important role of fruit and vegetable production in the area.
Some of the Davie's descendants were among those attending the dedication ceremony.
Linda Hileman, president of the PAST organization of Union County, which sponsored the dedication ceremony, traced the effort which led to last week's event.
A little more than three years ago, the Lincoln-Douglas Jonesboro Debate Sesquicentennial Committee was formed.
Approximately 20 volunteers met each month "and worked diligently to create a commemoration of the most historic event that took place in our county 150 years ago."
In the process, funds were raised to enhance the debate site in Jonesboro with statues, a courtyard, and the first of three "Looking for Lincoln" Wayside Interpretive Signs.
In creating an information center on the Jonesboro Square, and gathering details from the community about Union County in the 1850s, and from local historian Darrel Dexter's latest book, the sesquicentennial committee "learned so many interesting facts that we felt two additional signs were necessary."
"In this year of Lincoln's 200th birthday, we wish to dedicate this panel today, and another that will be placed on the Jonesboro Square," Hileman said.
The sign in Jonesboro is scheduled to be dedicated in September.
"There are so many stories to tell of our county's past (that) it was very difficult to condense and edit the pictures and stories to fit the criteria of the 'Looking for Lincoln' heritage coalition," Hileman stated.
Hileman noted that it "takes many people to make something like this happen and we would like to thank them today.
"Certainly, all who have contributed to the Lincoln-Douglas Committee's activities are essential: Barbara Bauer and Mona Diefenbach, who spent countless hours researching and writing, and re-writing with me, and the contributors of the pictures for this panel were Dan Wilson, Ashley Stone of The Depot Restaurant, and Pat Meller of the Union County Historical Society."
Hileman said that plans currently call for the sign to be moved to a location near the four-way stop in the heart of downtown Anna.
"We are grateful to the Anna-Jo Garden Club for allowing this temporary location and the City of Anna for approving and erecting this sign.
"We especially want to thank Steve Guined, Bill Halter, Gene Sullivan and (the city's) crews. Also, many thanks to Norm and Barbara Bauer for picking up the signs from the manufacturer in St. Louis."