"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.
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.
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 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).
