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Community Corner

Lincoln Arrives in Peekskill-150 Years Later

The Lincoln Society of Peekskill Celebrates the 150th year of Abraham Lincoln's visit to the city.

South Water St. was transported back in time 150 years this Saturday as groups of Union soldier re-enactors and men and women clad in Civil War-era clothing milled about the Lincoln Depot area for the Lincoln Society parade and re-enactment.

President-elect Abraham Lincoln stopped in Peekskill on Feb. 19, 1861 on his way to his inauguration in Washington D.C. He spoke to a crowd of more than 1,000 people who gathered to hear his words that day.

This Saturday, a crowd of a couple hundred braved gusting winds and cold temperatures to greet Lincoln re-enactor Fritz Klein at the train station, as city officials did for the real president 150 years ago, and then parade over to the Lincoln Depot. Klein stood in the same exact spot that Lincoln stood and gave the exact speech the 16th American president gave for the Peekskill citizens in 1861.

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Boy Scout Troop No. 164 from Yorktown, led the Presentation of Colors for the parade. Once the crowd reached the the depot a wreath laying and other traditional ceremonies were performed in Lincoln's honor.

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