I just found this article on Facebook and thought it was worth some discussion. I do not live in or travel to the area of the Commonwealth mentioned in the article, so I likely won't cross this bridge, at least soon, but I find this to be an interesting idea, one I would not oppose.
I am sure there are other worthy names to discuss, but this idea interests me because it shows Lincoln can still play a role the state's collective memory, 150 years after his death, and be more than an ignored face on countless pennies or the more appreciated $5 bill.
I guess that is not a revelation, but sometimes I do wonder if people in general know or care much about history, even such an important and famous figure like Old Abe. Perhaps that is just me being overly cynical.
I especially like how this would give a bigger chance to discuss Lincoln's ties to that specific region. People may not always appreciate history, but local connections or stories can sometimes draw more interest than a larger or national story can. Explaining Lincoln from that more local perspective would be a nice regionalized story and a good addition to the Lincoln Heritage Trail. (This is part of my personal temptation to claim "all history is local." I know it's not true, but is it often seems at least partially true to me. It's at least something for me to ponder sometimes.) The fact that his memory is already honored around the state does not mean that we should stop finding new ways to study and remember his life and legacy, and this sounds like a good addition to me.
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