Chris Allen, Executive Director of the Lincoln Special project, will give a special presentation celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood in Indiana and the funeral train that carried his body to rest in Springfield, IL. This program will take place on Saturday January 6, 2024 at 2:00Pm (CST) at the Michigan City Public Library, 100 E 4th St. in downtown Michigan City. Lincoln’s funeral train stopped at the depot in Michigan City May 1, 1865 where a large crowd of mourning citizens gathered to greet it.

Allen is touring Indiana to create awareness of Lincoln’s legacy and of the importance of remembering the events surrounding the special train that carried his body to its final resting place. Allen is raising support for “Of tears and Iron” a film that he is creating to memorialize the events of that rail journey.

According to Allen, Lincoln’s funeral train, dubbed the “Lincoln Special“ , travelled 1,6544 miles from Washington D.C. to Springfield. Millions turned out along the route to pay homage to their fallen leader. The people of Michigan City played a prominent role in that historic journey.

This program will be of interest to students of Lincoln, fans of the history of early rail travel and history buffs in general.

Join us on January 6th for a look at the Legacy of one of the most prominent Presidents in U.S. History and the role that Indiana, Michigan City, and the railroads played in honoring him after his untimely death.