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Looking for Lincoln group gets new director

Posted February 07, 2008 10:00 pm

Tim Landis

It has been more than four years since a bill was introduced in Congress that would include 42 central Illinois counties and a long list of historic sites in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.

Hal Smith hopes this is the year the bill comes to pass.

Smith was named Thursday as executive director of the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, a tourism and economic development group based in Springfield that helps oversee development of Lincoln sites statewide.

"This is a culmination for me. I always wanted to teach, and I love history, and I love Lincoln," said Smith.

He succeeds Nicky Stratton, who has held the job for three years and has served on the board since the coalition was founded nine years ago. Stratton will remain as associate director. The not-for-profit organization declined to release Smith's salary but has an annual budget of approximately $200,000.

Two major projects already are in the works for 2008 - placement of 155 Looking for Lincoln Historic signs in 46 central Illinois communities and the 150th anniversary celebration of the Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Commemoration events are planned in each of seven communities where the 1858 debates were held: Quincy, Jonesboro, Galesburg, Charleston, Freeport, Ottawa and Alton.

The coalition also is among a variety of groups pushing for creation of the federal Lincoln heritage area, which could bring millions of dollars in federal support for tourism and historic sites to the region.

Smith said he would like to see the designation approved in time for the 2009 bicentennial celebration of Lincoln's birth. A series of events planned in Springfield is expected to bring an influx of tourists.

"We're optimistic that it continues to move along," said Smith.

A representative for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Thursday a vote was scheduled for next week, but that action on a package of land-use bills has since been delayed indefinitely.

Smith recalled that even the 1972 designation of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield came only after years of trying to preserve the 16th president's home and surrounding neighborhood.

"Those were lean times and there was resistance to additional spending, but it was absolutely seen as a national treasure," he said.

Smith, whose office adjoins the Lincoln-Herndon Law Office on the south side of Old Capitol Plaza, said another of his goals is to increase private funding for coalition projects, similar to corporate contributions that helped develop the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Tim Landis can be reached at (217) 788-1536.

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