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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — History enthusiasts will have the opportunity to see an original edition of the Gettysburg Address in Springfield beginning on Friday.
The document will be on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) for 10 days from Nov. 15 until Nov. 24. After that, the speech, written in Abraham Lincoln’s own hand, will return to a climate-controlled vault.
Admission to the museum will be free on Tuesday, Nov. 19, which is the 161st anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. During the 10 days the document is on display, visitors also have the option to pay $5 to see the address, without touring the rest of the museum.
On the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, the museum will also see visitors from across the world. Students from Ashikaga, Springfield’s sister city in Japan, have a visit planned to the museum on Tuesday to see the document and say the address.
Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on Nov. 19, 1863. Many historians argue that it is one of the most famous speeches ever given.
“In 272 powerful words, Abraham Lincoln captured the pain of the Civil War and the truth of what was at stake: a new birth of freedom,” Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, said. “This handwritten copy of his address is a national treasure. We hope offering free admission allows more people to appreciate it in person.”
The display will also include photos, information in Spanish and a survey about the meaning of the address.
On Nov. 21 and 22 at 12:30 p.m., Lincoln Historian Christian McWhirter will be available to discuss the speech with visitors
There are five handwritten copies of the Gettysburg Address that still exist. The ALPLM has a copy, one is in the White House, one is at Cornell University and two can be found at the Library of Congress.
“Most people know a few famous phrases from the Gettysburg Address, but they haven’t thought much about what the words mean or how they influenced the nation’s ideals. Seeing the document in person offers a rare chance to connect personally and reflect on what it asks of us as individuals and as a country,” Brian Mitchell, the ALPLM’s director of research and interpretation, said.
The State of Illinois has owned the “Everett Copy” since 1944.