Staff Reports
MIAMI COUNTY — The Miami County community has been “Thinkin’ Lincoln” with its larger-than-life installation of Seward Johnson’s “Return Visit” 30-foot sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and “The Modern Man” installation at the Miami County Courthouse this summer.
One hundred and fifty years after President Lincoln’s final journey, Troy Main Street and The Troy Foundation will showcase The Lincoln Funeral Train exhibit in downtown Troy. This exhibit will take place over a four-day period, Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 10-13, and will be located on Short Street, alongside the “Return Visit” sculpture that has captured the attention of thousands of people as they visit the Miami County Courthouse square and historic downtown.
Troy Main Street has designed commemorative tickets for the event. The commemorative tickets are limited and will be issued to those who board the train car.
The fee to view the inside of the train will be $5 per person, young children and students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade will be admitted free. There will not be a charge to view the exhibit from the outside. School groups are encouraged to tour this display from 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 10-11. Exhibit hours for the general public will run from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Among the activities planned, Gotham City Brass will play from 6:30-8 p.m. Friday evening at the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center, on the lawn, in honor of the installation. The quintet from Dayton will be performing music from the Civil War era.
The center also will offer a mini exhibit and Lincoln memoribilia inside during regular hours.
The Lincoln Funeral Train exhibit will serve as an unique education opportunity for local school children. K-12 students will be admitted for free on the funeral car during the school day. According to Troy Main Street’s marketing and events coordinator Stephanie Silk, elementary students from Troy City Schools, St. Patrick’s Catholic School and Miami East Schools have planned to take a tour of the historical replica train car in downtown Troy.
Many organizations have assisted in the planning stages of the Lincoln locomotive car including Piqua Crane Company who will assist in the placing of the car on Short Street.
Unity National Bank and the Kiwanis Club have volunteered to help coordinate the event throughout the weekend.
Troy Main Street organizers are still seeking volunteers to help with the event on Saturday evening and throughout the day Sunday.
If you or your community group would like to volunteer, contact Diana Thompson at (937) 339-1044.
For more information regarding the history of the Lincoln Funeral Train, contact renowned local author Scott Trostel at (937) 368-2489 or [email protected]. For assistance with all other questions, contact Troy Main Street Executive Director Katherine Hayes at (937) 339-5455 or [email protected].
