Lincoln woz here

"I've been everywhere, man. I've been everywhere, man. Crossed the deserts bare, man. I've breathed the mountain air, man. Of travel I've had my share, man. I've been everywhere". Johnny Cash.

Last week, I paid a visit to Marshall, Illinois. As I crossed the state line from Indiana, I saw a “Welcome to Illinois, the Land of Lincoln” sign.

Later in the day, I drove to Jasper, Indiana. As I changed state back into Indiana, I spied a sign “Welcome to Indiana, Boyhood place of Lincoln".

A day later, I went into Louisville, Kentucky and at the Ohio river lo behold, I saw “Welcome to Kentucky, birthplace of Lincoln”.

Hmm, Bit of a Lincoln love fest going on in this part of the world, thinks I and man did he get around. When looking for trends "Once is unlucky, twice is careless and three times is a pattern". I counted three already.

The obvious next place that could link him the a 'welcome sign' would be DC (yeh, yeh, I know it is not a state), “Welcome to DC, death place of Lincoln”. Though come to think of it, it wasn't very welcoming night in the Ford Theater was it but it would be very apt, with the shootings of modern day Washington DC.

Out of curiousity, I looked up history on Honest Abe's life and read that he had some connection to Lousianna. So, The Pelican state can also add Lincoln to their sign. That now makes five.

Also with Mount Rushmore being in South Dakota, so that is six, it can have "Welcome....getting ahead of Lincoln".


But what about the newer states who cannot complete with the tenuous Lincoln connection? How will they attract tourist who look for a Linc's link in their requirements?

I guess not unless they get creative. Some suggestions:

- Welcome to Hawaii, Lincoln's Pacific dream.

- Welcome to Alaska: Lincoln simply would have loved our crabs.

On the otherhand, I don't think I will see: “Welcome to South Carolina, Lincoln whopped our ass”. So this pattern of linking all states to Lincoln just ain't gonna hunt.

However, It would have been the ultimate irony if Washington DC's tourist board slogan for the year 1865 was: "Welcome to Washington DC. What happens in DC, stays in DC".

Phileas Fogg,
Houston, Texas
30 March 2008