Shelby County Receives 6 More Wayside Exhibits

Looking for Lincoln Story Trail Grows

VALORIE EVERSOLE - Daily Union Staff Writer

The stories of Shelby County connections to Abraham Lincoln will soon be popping up in Shelbyville, Strasburg and Moweaqua.

The Shelby County Office of Tourism received six new wayside exhibits last week. Four storyboards will be placed in Shelbyville, one in Strasburg, and one in Moweaqua as part of the Looking for Lincoln Story Trail.

“They are all paid for by the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition grant, matching monies from different local entities, and the Bicentennial Commission,” said Shelby County Office of Tourism Director Freddie Fry.

Fry noted that originally Shelbyville was to get five exhibits, including the one now in place in front of the Shelby County Courthouse.

“One community dropped out of the program and we had the opportunity to receive one more,” Fry said. “There was one more story that was researched by John Lupton that we were able to use.”

The four new exhibits for Shelbyville include:

- Samuel Moulton, which will be placed at the historic home at 607 S. Broadway. The storyboard tells of court cases that he and Lincoln tried together.

- Traveling the Circuits, which will be placed at the Shelby County Office of Tourism. The storyboard tells about the 8th Judicial Circuit and the places where Lincoln would stay in the Shelbyville area, including Tackett’s Tavern (later known as the Tallman House.)

- Lincoln Court Cases in Shelby County, which will be placed in the downtown mini-park. Lincoln handled 35 cases in Shelby County between 1849 and 1853. The storyboard also includes the history of the murder case against John Crockett. Lincoln was a defense attorney in the case.

- Anthony Thornton, which will be placed in front of his historic home at 321 N. Morgan. Thornton was a Shelbyville attorney who debated Lincoln on the issue of slave states in 1856.

Moweaqua’s exhibit tells the story of Pvt. Ephraim Adamson who was a cavalry body guard for Lincoln. After his service he moved to Moweaqua.

“It’s one of those unique stories that people haven’t heard,” Fry said.

Moweaqua’s exhibit will be located in the city’s mini-park across from the library.

These storyboards are currently located in the Office of Tourism until they can be placed.

Strasburg’s city park will be the site for a county storyboard. The story relates a court case of divorce and a woman’s right to own property. Lincoln represented Mary Jane Stewardson in the case who was trying to regain her property owned before the marriage. That property is located on the line between Richland and and Shelbyville townships.

“We are fortunate to have it (storyboard),” said Strasburg Villiage Trustee Gary Kull. “It was the research by John Lupton that led to the story.”

“We’re tickled to get this with everything going on in town,” said Strasburg President Wayne Wirth, referring to the new Marathon station and Fitness Center.

The storyboard can be seen at Kull’s Appliance Center in Strasburg while it waits for its permanent spot in the park.

“The minute I heard about the Looking for Lincoln project, I wanted to be a part of it,” Fry said. “My dream was to have one exhibit. To have seven in Shelby County is like winning the lottery.”


Dedication of Wayside Exhibit and Statuary Sunday, August 9

1:00 pm: “Prelude to the Presidency” introduced by John Lupton, Associate Director, The Papers of Abraham Lincoln at Boarman’s Roxy Theatre.

2:15 pm: Dedication at Courthouse. Introduction by John Lupton. Guest Speaker is Hal Smith, Executive Director, The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area and The Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition.

Meet & Greet with refreshments follows at the Shelby County Office of Tourism featuring guests Hal Smith, John Lupton, Artist John McClarey.

Additional Wayside Exhibits on display.

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