Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas reliefs - Knox College, Galesburg, IL
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adgorn
N 40° 56.580 W 090° 22.260
15T E 721304 N 4535757
The Knox Campus was the site of the fifth Lincoln-Douglas debate on the slavery issue in 1858. Bas-relief panels of each were sculpted by Avard T. Fairbanks, who also did Lincoln statues Chicago and Berwyn, IL.
Waymark Code: WM8R8Q
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 05/06/2010
Views: 5
The Lincoln panel is on the left, Douglas on the right.
The terrible weather on October 7, 1858, brought the debate to the shelter of the east side of Knox College's main building from the park where it had been scheduled. Accounts vary but newspapers reported that 10,000 people attended the debate.
The Knox College Old Main building stands today, much as it did a century and a half ago. The commemorative panels, cast in bronze, have been permanently mounted on the building. They portray not only the personages, but also the moment, the feeling of the men, and the impact of the event.
From the Smithsonian Art Inventory site:
Approx. 59 1/2 x 35 5/8 x 2 1/4 in.
(Face of panel:) ABRAHAM LINCOLN/ AT/ KNOX COLLEGE/ 1858/ THIS/ TABLET/ COMMEMORATES/ THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY/ OF THE FIFTH DEBATE BETWEEN/ ABRAHAM LINCOLN &/ STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS/ HELD ON THIS SITE OCTOBER SEVENTH/ 1858 (Also on panel below portrait:) AVARD FAIRBANKS 1958 (And:) BEDI-RASSY signed Founder's mark appears.
Created in 1958 for the Centennial celebration of the debate held at this site by Lincoln and Douglas in 1858. Carl Sandburg and Frank Lloyd Wright were among those attending the dedication ceremony.
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