February 12, 2009 will mark the 200th Anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's birth. Here in Gettysburg there is a great deal of excitement as on the same day we will celebrate the grand opening of the David Wills House, after a large scale renovation.
The Wills House is the large brick building located on the southeast corner of the Lincoln Square in downtown Gettysburg. It was in this house that President Lincoln spent the night of November 18, 1863 and where he put the finishing touches on his immortal "Gettysburg Address" which would be delivered the following day during the dedication of the first Soldiers' National Cemetary.
The National Park Service in cooperation with Main Street Gettysburg has undertaken the renovation of the Wills House. The new museum features seven galleries, including the restored office where David Wills coordinated post-battle recovery efforts and invited a President to deliver “a few appropriate remarks,” and the famous Lincoln bedroom where the President finished revising the Gettysburg Address.
In celebration of the Lincoln Bicentennial, the Wills House Museum will be open and free to the public, beginning Thursday 2/12/09 from 2:00 - 8:00 pm, and then Friday - Sunday, 2/13 thru 2/16/2009 from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Click here for a full, detailed schedule of events for the weekend.
There are also many exciting Lincoln exhibits happening in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the Bicentennial. Located only 90 minutes south of Gettysburg, Washington is an easy day trip from the Doubleday Inn. If you need help planning your itinerary please don't hesitate to ask!
Here are some details:
Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress, Feb 12 - May 12, 2009
includine the Springfield "Farewell" address, Lincoln's 1st & 2nd inaugural addresses, along with his bible, the Gettysburg Address (Nicolay or Hay copy) , and the letter Lincoln wrote to Meade after Gettysburg (the one he never sent).
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION at National Archives, Feb 12 - 16 ONLY Archives Winter hours: 10 AM - 5:30 PM (last admission at 5:00 pm)
Designing the Lincoln Memorial National Gallery of Art, Feb 12, 2009 - Feb 12, 2010 View the original models for this memorial (French's 6-foot model & Bacon's wood model)
For a complete itinerary for all of 2009, visit www.lincolnindc.com
