A Big Bang for the 42nd Lincoln Memorial Shrine by Marina Rojas - City News Group, Inc.

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A Big Bang for the 42nd Lincoln Memorial Shrine

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Members of the 7th Michigan Volunteer Calvary Company F Ron Taber of Norco riding Scout, Bruce Smith of Norco riding Justice, Dan Mc Cluskey of Simi Valley riding Topper and Kevin Kingsbury of Tehachapi riding Nemo.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Civil war era reenactors Ivan Clevenger of Lytle Creek, Jim and Brenda Midren of Banning, Jacob Snow of Hemet and Steve Kruger of Duarte.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

United Daughters of the Confederacy members Stephanie Peake-Green of Redlands, Pam Jackson of Hesperia, Dawn Byrd-Beresovoy of Temecula, Dawn Ridder of Claremont and reenactor Norm Braly of Torrance of the 2nd Florida Company I as a part of Hart's Engineers.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Lincoln presenter Robert Broski speaking to friends Tyler Hall, 17, Aurora McNay, 15 and Sarai Tirado, 18 of Redlands.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Reenactor Gordon Bergslien of Glendora from Battery B 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery discusses the light artillery cannon with Bradley Harjehausen (a docent at the library in gray jacket) from Yucaipa.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Building with the Lincoln logs were Deacon Angle, Andrew Angle, Abigail Angle, Ethan Angle (all of Yucaipa) and Eva Scheer of Rancho Cucamonga.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Abraham Lincoln presenter Robert Broski greeting the Lincoln Memorial Shrine visitors.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Abraham Lincoln presenter Robert Broski delivers the Gettysburg address in the Lincoln shrine rotunda.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Visitors to the event listen intently as Lincoln presenter Robert Broski delivers the Gettysburg address.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Don Mc Cue, A.K. Smiley Library & Lincoln Shrine Director encourages the guests to visit all of the new displays and reconnect with Abraham Lincoln and his legacy.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Janice and Michael Hicks from Mentone portray Captain Ellis Spear and his wife Susan at the Lincoln celebration.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Bill Bell plays Civil War era music as the crowd visits the displays in the Lincoln shrine.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

John and Colleen LeVar of Fontana enjoy one of the displays at the Lincoln Shrine.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

One of the many offerings at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

A member of the public checks out one of the many displays.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

A saddle from the Civil War era on display.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

A book sale featuring Civil War publishings was held on the terrace.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Some of the Civil War books offered for sale.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Many public members came to enjoy friends, food and fun at the gathering.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

People gathered to the Lincoln Memorial Shrine.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Lincoln Shrine Now Open to welcome all the visitors.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Members of the Battery B 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery speaking to the public about this particular piece of weaponry which was fired during the presentation.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Some of the reenactors stand guard at the entrance to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Shrine located on the grounds of the A.K. Smiley Library in Redlands.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

A granite monument stands in place to honor Robert and Alma Watchorn who built the Lincoln Memorial Shrine as a memorial to their late son Emory.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

American Civil War Society member Larry Duncan of Redlands presents facts about medical and field hospital procedures during the civil war.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

American Civil War Society member Larry Duncan of Redlands shares some civil war instruments of healing with the crowd.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

American Civil War Society member Larry Duncan of Redlands points out some Civil War field hospital tools.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

A crowd listens to American Civil War Society member Larry Duncan from Redlands as he discusses Civil War medicinal practices with Stephanie Peake-Green as his nurse.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Stephanie Peak-Green of Redlands demonstrates some Civil War field hospital treatments as American Civil War Society member Larry Duncan explains the procedures to the watching crowd.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Confederate soldier reenactor Adam Risley of Rancho Cucamonga is part of the 1st North Carolina Calvary Company B.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Kris Anderson of Hawthorne and Ken Jolly from Redlands reenactors Union soldiers at the Lincoln celebration.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

1st Pennysylvania Light Artillery Battery B (aka Coopers Battery) showcased shells used during the Civil War period.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

A wall on the Lincoln Memorial Shrine.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Larry Duncan of Redlands and American Civil War Society member presented civil war field hospital facts to the crowd.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Crowds were drawn to the Civil War field medical presentation offered by American Civil War Society member Larry Duncan of Redlands.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Union Army reenactor 6 year old Macy Dejong of Yucaipa poses with members of the 7th Michigan Volunteer Calvary Company F.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Open Sign welcoming the public to the Lincoln Shrine.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Cindy Stevens of Riverside had come to enjoy the festivities at the Lincoln Shrine Open House.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

The book sale on the terrace of the Lincoln Shrine.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Civil War traditional dance performed by Michael and Janice Hicks of Mentone to the music of Bill Bell and his Civil War band members Ryan Welch, Corey Adams, Dan Richardson, Bill Bell (behind dancers), Seth Richardson, Eddie Young.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Civil war reenactors Michael and Janice Hicks of Mentone dance to the music of Bill Bell and his band.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Civil war reenactors Michael and Janice Hicks of Mentone dance to the music of Bill Bell and his band.

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Photo Courtesy of: Marina Rojas

Civil war reenactors Michael and Janice Hicks of Mentone dance to the music of Bill Bell and his band.

By Marina Rojas, Community Writer
February 11, 2014 at 05:57pm. Views: 14

On Sunday February 9, 2014, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine at the A.K. Smiley Library at 125 W. Vine Street in Redlands held their 42nd Open House and Birthday Celebration from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Civil War reenactors were invited to come by and help lend an authentic air to the festivities and in true Yankee style, the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery Battery B (otherwise known as Coopers Battery) decided to commemorate the occasion by firing off a round from their light artillery cannon. It was a “BOOM” heard around the neighborhood. Gordon Bergslien of Glendora, a member of the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery Battery B was explaining the workings of the cannon to Lincoln Shrine Docent Bradley Harjehusen. “Yep, it’s light artillery until you go to move it,” chucked Bergslien, “It weighs about one ton.” He shared that in actual battle the cannon was capable of firing off 2 rounds a minute and “maybe three with a well trained crew.” The grounds surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Shrine had encampments of both Union and Confederate soldiers, alongside Northern ladies and Southern belles strolling throughout the park setting. Together with the public that had come to enjoy the merriment, the Civil War reenactors lent a feeling to the event of one having been transported back in time. Abraham Lincoln presenter Robert Broski wandered through the crowd bringing smiles and gasps of surprise as he reached out to all who came to the event. With his tall stove pipe hat and signature beard people felt as if Lincoln himself had come to visit Redlands that day. Outside on the grounds, Larry Duncan, an American Civil War Society member from Redlands, proved to be a big hit with the event goers. Displaying medical paraphernalia and severed body parts, his reenactment area of specialty was field hospital procedures during the Civil War era. With everyone’s modern day enthusiasm for shows such as Bones, NCIS and CSI, a large crowd consistently gathered to see him demonstrate antique medical equipment and to hear details about healing methods during those times which sometimes turned out to be more deadly than helpful. Inside the rotunda of the Lincoln Memorial Shrine, Civil War reenactors Michael and Janice Hicks of Mentone (portraying the characters of Captain Ellis Spear of the 20th Maine Infantry and his wife Susan Spear) were romantically twirling to the tunes played by Bill Bell and his Civil War group of musicians. Mr. Bell had recorded an album of Civil War era music called Under the Dome at practically that very spot a few years ago, and was back to help celebrate this auspicious occasion. President Lincoln (Presenter Robert Broski) stopped by the rotunda to greet those who were listening to the music, and he paused to share a small speech he had prepared for the occasion. As he began to speak the entire building grew quiet as the familiar strains of the Gettysburg Address rang throughout the hallways. Library and Shrine Director Don Mc Cue then spoke to those who had come to celebrate the 42nd Open House. He encouraged everyone to walk through the exhibitions and see the rich history of the man who was Abraham Lincoln, and hoped that all would come to understand and develop an appreciation of the story his life told. Mc Cue shared, “Robert Watchorn, the man who started all of this, had always wanted this museum to be a place where people could come and celebrate the life of Abraham Lincoln. We have held this Open House since the 1970s, and have celebrated this way ever since. We bring in new things all the time and want the community to celebrate with us as we grow and grow. This truly is a wonderful way to honor the life of Abraham Lincoln.” For Robert Broski, Lincoln Presenter, this was his third year returning to the Shrine for the annual celebration. “I had an opportunity years ago to be a part of a small independent film called ‘Grace Bedell’, a story about a little girl who suggested to Lincoln that he grow a beard. After I grew a beard for the part I looked in the mirror and said to myself, 'Well, this is who you are, this is who you were meant to be.' So, I have been presenting Mr. Lincoln ever since then. The people at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine are working hard to preserve the character, the honesty and the integrity of Abraham Lincoln for the ages to come. I am honored and blessed to be invited to be a part of all of that,” said Broski. The Abraham Lincoln Memorial Shrine is open to the public Tuesday through Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. You can contact them at 909-798-7632 or on line at www.lincolnshrine.org

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