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The Bostic Lincoln Center has been chosen as the Site of the Week by the editors of Roadside America.

The Bostic Lincoln story was shared on social media channels, and featured as the lead story on the Roadside America website for the week of October 28 - November 3, 2019:

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/22102

The Bostic Lincoln Center is mapped and available on the Roadside America app for iPhone, which allows travelers to find and visit attractions while on the road.

With thousands of devoted followers, Roadside America is the comprehensive and trusted information resource for travelers who want to enjoy unusual and unique attractions across the U.S.A.

Roadside America stated that they were delighted to give the Bostic Lincoln Center this special recommendation for its readers.

 

North Carolina Society of Historians presents Bostic Lincoln Center with 2019 Museum Award

Theresa Deibert (left) and BLC President Ann Calton (right) accept the Museum Award from the NC Society of Historians [Oct 12 2019].

On October 12 the North Carolina Society of Historians held its annual Awards Program at Davidson College. Awards were presented in the categories of Publisher, Museum, Book, Publications, Multimedia, Awards of Excellence, Presidents Award and Historian of the Year Award.

The Bostic Lincoln Center was one of two recipients of the Museum Award for 2019.

The NC Society of Historians was formed in 1941 for the purpose of collecting and preserving North Carolina history, traditions, artifacts, genealogies and folklore on not only the statewide basis, but on the county and local levels also. Their purpose is to aid in and encourage the exchange of information between members and to reward those persons/organizations who fulfill their objectives in exceptional ways via their rewards program. Their website is:
http://www.ncsocietyofhistorians.org

The Museum Award is given to encourage museums housing significant, interesting and informative historical/ genealogical data, artifacts or collections; and/or are offering public educational programs, tours, demonstrations, etc., with regard to North Carolina history.

 

 

"Tarheel Traveller" story of May 7, 2013, on WRAL-TV (Raleigh TV station) about Lincoln's NC roots and  the BLC:

Abraham Lincoln wasn't born in a log cabin in Kentucky. At least that's what some folks in Rutherford County believe. They are convinced the 16th president was born near the small North Carolina town of Bostic. As the story goes, his mother had an affair with a gangly, 6-foot tall, prominent businessman named Abraham Enloe, then fled in shame to Kentucky with the baby.

Click this link to view.
 

 

Playwright Ludy Wilkie has donated over twenty years of research material on legends that Abraham Lincoln was born in North Carolina to the Bostic Lincoln Center.  Wilkie has written two plays about the folktale.  Abe Lincoln of Rutherford County was produced by the Rutherford County Arts Council readers theatre in 1987.  Congressman James McClure Clarke attended a performance and praised it.

The Ballad of Nancy Hanks was performed by the Rutherford Community Theatre in 2005 and 2012.  Historian Jerry Goodnight attended the 2005 production and mentioned it in his book, Looking for Lincoln

Wilkie has furnished material to area students doing reports on the legend, and decided to offer his material to the museum to make it easily accessible. He divided it into five packets:

  •  one deals with the legend that Lincoln was the son of Abraham Enloe;
  •  another that he was the son of Richard Martin;
  •  a third has articles about the story that John C. Calhoun fathered Honest Abe;
  •  and one has articles saying Abraham Lincoln was the son of Adam Springs of Gaston County.
  •  The final packet deals with press materials about his plays and permission to quote various sources.
     
 

 

Ludy Wilkie with Lydia Clontz, staff member of Bostic Lincoln Center

Ludy Wilkie displays article on Lincoln legend

 

(photos by Deborah Keller)

 

WLOS TV News (Asheville) interviewed the director of the Bostic Lincoln Center in a news story on Nov 8, 2012, related to the new Abraham Lincoln movie.

 

 

Sunshine Elementary students and principal Neil Higgins view the documentary "Honest Abe."

 

Sunshine School students, Principal Neil Higgins and teacher Paula Davis tour Lincoln Hill after a visit to the museum, October 2012.

 

 

North Carolina Weekend TV program does story on BLC

North Carolina Weekend on PBS station UNC-TV did an informative story on the Bostic Lincoln Center's efforts to spread the word about Abraham Lincoln's Carolina roots.  Click this link then scroll down to the November 18th program and click on "Play Video" under Bostic Lincoln Center.

 

 

BLC featured in 50 FORWARD Loving the way we live Magazine.

See the Spring/Summer 2010 premier issue of this new magazine for the latest article featuring the Bostic Lincoln Center, Inc.

The article is titled “Abraham Lincoln: North Carolina’s Native Son?” and explores the roots of Lincoln in Western North Carolina, right here in Rutherford County.

This new publication is designed with one purpose: “To help our readers—those of us 50 years old or better—successfully navigate the pleasures, adventures, issues and challenges that are our lives…” Contact joanie@fisherpublications.com for more information about the magazine.

 

 

The Bostic Lincoln Center is included in the latest tourism video

 

 

Bostic Lincoln Center in StoryCorps

On April 3, 2009, Keith Price (President), Lydia Clontz (Vice-President) and Louise Layton (Secretary) participated in the NPR-sponsored StoryCorps effort and recorded the story of the Bostic Lincoln Center, Inc.  This recording, along with thousands of others, will be maintained by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.   Find out more details about StoryCorps by using this link to the StoryCorps website.
 

 

Timeless Lincoln Memento published in the March 10, 2009, New York Times
 

 

Lincoln’s Shroud of Turin in the April 13, 2009, issue of The Philadelphia Inquirer
 

 

See the February 2009 issue of WNC (Western North Carolina Magazine) for another article featuring the Bostic Lincoln Center, Inc.
 

 

The February 2009 issue of Our State magazine, features the Bostic Lincoln Center in a story entitled, "The Museum Doubt Built," by Charles Blackburn, Jr.

 

Carolina Banker, the publication of the NC Bankers Association, features the Bostic Lincoln Center as the cover story and feature article [PDF] of its Summer 2008 edition. 

It begins:

Three former U.S. Presidents - James K. Polk, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson - were born in North Carolina. However, thanks to the efforts of The Bostic Lincoln Center (BLC) in Bostic, NC, it may be proven there was a fourth president with N.C. roots - Abraham Lincoln.
 

 

The Bostic Lincoln Center Museum Grand Opening and Dedication was a rousing success with over 200 attendees! (04/12/2008)

The enthusiastic display of public interest generated significant media coverage.  Some articles of note:

  • An article on the BLC dedication and grand opening in the News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) may be found here.  An audio slideshow produced by the News & Observer may be viewed here.
  • An article from the Charlotte (NC) Observer is here.
  • An article from the Shelby (NC) Star may be viewed here.
  • An article from the Statesville (NC) Record & Landmark article is here.
  • An article from the Fort Wayne (IN) Journal-Gazette is here.
 


WBTV reporter Kristen Miranda visited the Bostic Lincoln Center and informed her viewers about the work of the BLC and Lincoln's origins in North Carolina. (2/2008)
 


The Bostic Lincoln Center extends our sincere condolences to the loved ones of Tom Melton, who passed away February 23, 2008, at the age of 88. [obituary] [article in The Shelby Star]
For more than fifty years, Tom was the primary influence keeping alive the local tradition of Abraham Lincoln's Rutherford County birth, and provided the inspiration for the Bostic Lincoln Center.  He was an Emeritus Board Member of the Bostic Lincoln Center and a revered authority on Lincoln's Carolina origins.

 


Save The Date! The Bostic Lincoln Center museum dedication is April 12th, 2008!

The BLC thanks the Bostic Town Council and Mayor Mitch Harrill for generously providing the historic building. Currently being renovated, the building is a former Bostic town hall and fire station.

 


The Bostic Lincoln Center co-sponsored a presentation at Lanier Library in Tryon, NC, on February 19, 2008.  Speakers included BLC officers and Jerry Goodnight (co-author of The Tarheel Lincoln).

 


New photographs of Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural have been discovered.
 


New photographs of Abraham Lincoln arriving at the stage to deliver his Gettysburg Address have been discovered.
 


The Bostic Lincoln Center organized a Lincoln Origins Forum in Forest City, NC, on April 14, 2007.
 


The Tarheel Lincoln co-author Jerry Goodnight visited Rutherford County in May 2006 to address the Bostic Lincoln Center at the Bostic Town Hall.
 


Testing of Lincoln's living relatives suggest that Abraham Lincoln may have suffered from ataxia (The Arizona Republic, Feb 12 2006).
 


An Associated Press story in the Chicago Sun-Times mentioned the question, including Eller & Goodnight's The Tarheel Lincoln, in February 2005, in an article about Presidential birthplaces.
 


Carolina Country has had a series of articles on the question of Lincoln's Bostic birth. 
 


An Associated Press article from December 2003: "Book suggests Lincoln was born in N.C. - and out of wedlock".
 

 

 
   

 

Resources  
Genealogy Today has some further information, including a dedicated webpage on the topic and detailed report by R. Vincent Enlow (PDF file).  
Cherry Bounce Trail has a map of the area around Lincoln's traditional birthplace.