February 12, 1996
Web posted at: 6:10 p.m. EST
CHICAGO (CNN) -- President Abraham Lincoln's hat was so tall, he used it as a briefcase -- a storage bin for official documents.
His pen was so prolific he produced some of the most significant writings in American history. And his presidency was so controversial he was assassinated.
President Lincoln is considered by most historians as one of the greatest statesmen ever. As his birthday is celebrated Monday, a unique exhibit of his life and times is under way at the Chicago Historical Society.
The exhibit features rare books and manuscripts as well as artifacts, such as the president's eye glasses, billfold and family seal. Much of the display came directly from a Lincoln family member who died eight years ago.
The society's Douglas Greenberg considers the three-dimensional aspect of the exhibit a "very extraordinary" and "very moving experience." (94K AIFF sound or 94K WAV sound)
Even the gloves Lincoln had in his pocket the night he was assassinated are on display, as is his handkerchief and a cufflink from that fateful evening at the Ford Theater.
The man who prepared Lincoln's body for burial had given the items to Lincoln's widow, Mary Todd Lincoln. According to collector Louise Taper, the same man wrote a letter to a friend saying he never wanted Mrs. Lincoln to have the more gruesome items, like Lincoln's bloody shirt. The man cut the shirt up and pinned a piece onto the letter he sent to his friend.
Another rare item is a brass casting of Lincoln's enormous hands that guided the United States through the Civil War, freeing four million slaves.
The exhibit will be on display for one year. Then, many of the delicate manuscripts and artifacts will be placed back in storage vaults and saved for other generations.
Mark Neely, professor of history at St. Louis University, says it could be the last time to see so much Lincoln memorabilia. As some items, especially documents, become more fragile, curators may not want to display them in public.
"I would go in now and see these papers if I could," Neely suggested.
![[Imagemap]](/US/images/9601/navbar.gif){kind=small}
Copyright © 1996 Cable News Network, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
