"Return Visit"
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Rivers End
N 39° 49.840 W 077° 13.846
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Return Visit - Abraham Lincoln in Gettysburg, PA
Waymark Code: WMMY9
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 08/21/2006
Views: 58
Visitors to the Gettysburg town square sometimes are surprised to see a highly realistic image of Lincoln greeting someone. This life-size bronze statue of Lincoln by J. Seward Johnson, Jr., called the Return Visit stands in front of the historic Wills House. Lincoln points to the Wills House as if to explain where he finished writing his famous Gettysburg Address (the second-floor room where he stayed overnight as a guest of David Wills).
Lincoln arrived at the Gettysburg railroad station the day before the ceremonies and was escorted to the Wills home. His special train included others from Washington such as Cabinet members and foreign ambassadors. While Lincoln, Everett, and other dignitaries ate supper together, serenaders and crowds gathered outside, calling for the President. Lincoln eventually appeared, but declined to make a speech at the moment. The next afternoon, on the edge of town, a crowd of more than 10,000 would hear Lincoln’s brief masterpiece, now considered the product of an entire lifetime. Contrary to popular belief, the painstaking Lincoln had not dashed off this speech on an envelope while enroute to Gettysburg (for one thing, five original copies of the speech exist -- all are on standard letter paper). However, Lincoln apparently produced the final written version in an upstairs bedroom of the Wills house. The decorative bunting in the photo marks the location.
The Sculpturer
Mr. Johnson lives in New Jersey and is an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune. He has been creating his art for more than 30 years. With his sculptures, he celebrates the common man and simple pleasures. Seward Johnson’s works have been displayed in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. He has created over 200 different statues made from cast bronze and it may take up to two years for him to complete one piece. Does he use real models? Is that real clothing they are wearing? How long does it take to make a statue?
The Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania placed the sculpture on the square in 1991.
Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.