Abraham Lincoln's Visit to Woonsocket

Statue to Commemorate Abraham Lincoln's Visit to Woonsocket
Officials in Woonsocket are seeking proposals from artists to erect a statue of Abraham Lincoln commemorating the 16th president's visit to the Rhode Island city more than 150 years ago.

March 22, 2017, at 3:41 p.m.

Statue to Commemorate Abraham Lincoln's Visit to Woonsocket


WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) — Officials in Woonsocket are seeking proposals from artists to erect a statue of Abraham Lincoln commemorating the 16th president's visit to the Rhode Island city more than 150 years ago.

The Woonsocket Call reports (http://bit.ly/2mUDs42 ) the budget for the project is just $8,500, which comes in the form of a grant awarded to the city by the Rhode Island Foundation.

City Planner Rui Almeida says he hopes the funding is enough for a proposal that's artistically innovative, true to Lincoln's legacy and substantial.

Lincoln arrived in Woonsocket by train at the old Providence & Worcester Railroad depot on March 8, 1860. That day he gave a campaign speech before an audience at Harris Institute Hall.

The city plans to display the statue on the grounds of the former rail station.

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Information from: The Call, http://www.woonsocketcall.com