My Trip To Lincoln City (With Pics)

I packed up my wife and two sons into the Caravan and left the house at 6:30am EDT. We drove through a blinding rainstorm down I-71 and through Louisville rush hour. Not a great drive. Then through single lane construction on I-64. We arrived at the park about 9:20am central time, a little later than hoped but we still got a parking spot at least, although not in the main lot.

Many people were waiting in line for coins, but we wanted to see the presentation in the amphitheater. Word went around that the limit was four rolls.

The presentation was not all that crowded, but was a good show I thought. And they announced that the limit was back up to six rolls. Good times. Good times!

My two sons each got a new cent as they exited the amphitheatre and they held sales until everyone from the amphitheater could get in line. Then we waited. And waited. About an hour and a half for the first wait after which the wife and kids were tired and went back to the car. I went through the line the second time in about half an hour and they picked me up in the car.

We ended up with 30 rolls. I did not get them stamped and cancelled which I regret somewhat but that line seemed very long as well and we were hungry and had a long drive back. Overall, a great trip. I may just go to Springfield too!

Here are some pictures:

The Celebration Singers sing Stephen Foster:


Master of Ceremonies Connie Nass kicks off the event:


The Sons of Union Veterans present the colors:


A young Abe Lincoln recounts how he rolled and kicked it as a young man in the woods of Indiana:


Mint Director Edmund Moy gives us the scoop on the 2009 Lincolns:


Waitin' for coins. It was a good natured and happy crowd with many nice people to meet.


Keep your hands off the coins, folks:


Buying coins three bucks at a time:


My two boys showing off their haul:


The very last of the cents are wheeled out:


What we are all waiting to see - ladies and gentleman, I give you Indiana Abe!: