Mr. Lincoln of Kentucky

As the nation prepares to elect a President from Illinois, this is a good time to remember that the last president claimed by that state actually got his start in this state.

Now, during the bicentennial commemoration of his birth, prepare to see Lincoln differently. Beyond the Log Cabin: Kentucky’s Abraham Lincoln, the commonwealth’s signature Lincoln bicentennial exhibition, opens to the public Tuesday, Octoeber 21, at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort.

The exhibition, which will travel to two additional Kentucky venues in 2009-2010, illuminates Lincoln’s connections with Kentucky, the perspective his Kentucky friends and acquaintances provided his life and actions, and the inspiration his legacy continues to contribute to American ideals.

Through engaging imagery, artifacts, and interactive activities, Beyond the Log Cabin presents the untold story of Lincoln's lifelong engagement with Kentucky and Kentuckians. Taking a broad view of Kentuckians’ perceptions of Lincoln from the assassination to the current bicentennial commemoration, the exhibition explores the complex relationship between Lincoln and his native state, and features unique artifacts gathered from repositories and collections across the nation.

“Museums and historical societies in Kentucky and beyond have been very generous in loaning high-quality artifacts and images for this important exhibition,” said Marilyn Zoidis, assistant director at the Kentucky Historical Society. “Pieces never presented together provide a unique story of Lincoln and Kentucky. They help to make Beyond the Log Cabin a signature exhibition.”

Beyond the Log Cabin: Kentucky’s Abraham Lincoln was designed by Gallagher & Associates, an international design firm acclaimed for its work on exhibitions and museum projects at the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, and others.

This exhibition will be on display at the Center for Kentucky History through June 6, 2009, and will then travel to the Speed Art Museum in Louisville for exhibition June 28, 2009 through September 6, 2009. It will open at the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center in Ashland on October 2, 2009 and remain on display there until February 19, 2010.

“We hope that Kentuckians will take advantage of these upcoming opportunities to experience the Beyond the Log Cabin: Kentucky’s Abraham Lincoln exhibition and to learn more about Lincoln’s Kentucky connections during this bicentennial commemoration of his birth,” said Kent Whitworth, executive director of the Kentucky Historical Society.

Beyond the Log Cabin was made possible by generous support from the James Graham Brown Foundation, the Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, and the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation.

During October, the exhibit will also be on display in various state office buildings in Frankfort.

Cross-posted at BlueGrassRoots.