Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition honored

The Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition has received the Wendy Allen Award for Institutional Excellence.

The award was presented Nov. 17 at The Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg, Pa. 

Each year, The Lincoln Forum presents at its annual symposium a special award to a Lincoln or Civil War institution or organization that has achieved widespread recognition for bringing learning, scholarship and enlightenment to a wide public audience.

 “In honoring this group, we do honor to ourselves. ‘Looking for Lincoln’ has taken hallowed ground and made it accessible to more and more visitors,” said Harold Holzer, the chairman of the Lincoln Forum.

“As one who has often enjoyed the thrill of walking alongside Lincoln’s Illinois pathways, I cannot overemphasize the importance of ‘place’ to history, and the importance of ‘Looking for Lincoln’ in leading the way to these places for all Americans.

“We are honored to receive this award for our efforts in preserving and telling the story of Abraham Lincoln in Illinois to visitors and residents alike,” said Sarah Watson, executive director of Looking for Lincoln and the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. 

“We would like to thank The Lincoln Forum for their support of our efforts.”

 The Lincoln Forum is an assembly of people who share a deep interest in the life and times of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War era. 

Through a roster of activities and projects including symposia, tours, student essay competitions, teacher scholarships, a newsletter and Lincoln studies, the Forum endeavors to enhance the understanding and preserve the memory of Abraham Lincoln. 

More information about The Lincoln Forum can be found at: https://www.thelincolnforum.org/.

 The Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition is the coordinating entity for the 43-county Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. 

The coalition is a partnership of organizations and individuals dedicated to enhancing the communities and landscapes of central Illinois through recognition and support of their significant natural, cultural and historical legacies. 

More information about the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition and the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area can be found online at www.lookingforlincoln.com.