Boy Scouts Troop 11 Tribute to a Great American
In the heart of Redlands lies a gem dedicated to a man known as the The Great Emancipator, the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln, also referred to as “Honest Abe”.
Abraham Lincoln is regarded as one of America's greatest heroes due to both his incredible impact on the nation and his unique appeal. His is a remarkable story of the rise from humble beginnings to achieve the highest office in the land; then, a sudden and tragic death at a time when his country needed him most to complete the great task remaining before the nation. Lincoln's distinctively human and humane personality and historical role as savior of the Union and emancipator of the slaves creates a legacy that endures. His eloquence of democracy and his insistence that the Union was worth saving embody the ideals of self-government that all nations strive to achieve.
The Lincoln Memorial Shrine, a one-room octagonal building, opened in 1932. In 1937, fountains and limestone walls bearing Lincoln quotations were added to the octagon. The founder, Robert Watchorn, desired that his Lincoln Memorial Shrine serve as a place where visitors would be inspired by the life and accomplishments of the man judged by many to be the greatest of all Americans. It is an institution that caters to visitors ranging from the average elementary school student to the nationally recognized historian. The great Lincoln scholar Jay Monaghan said, upon his visit to the Shrine in 1940,that,“Lincoln is all things to all men.” Each of us approaches the memory of Lincoln in our own singular way. Lincoln is the “common property of each individual,” another biographer wrote. For the community of Redlands and for the greater region of Southern California, that “property” is a gift from Robert Watchorn.
For 75 years Boy Scouts of Redlands have worked with the Kiwanas Club to present the “Lincoln Pilgrimage” each year in February to pay tribute to this great President.
Abraham Lincoln is a perfect example of what Boy Scouts of America stands for. This cache is placed here by members of Boy Scouts Troop 11 of Redlands. We hope you enjoy your visit to the shrine.
The Lincoln Memorial Shrine website: http://www.lincolnshrine.org/
Check out the quotes that are engraved on the outside of the building.