State Rep. Tina Davis and state Sen. Steve Santarsiero proudly presented a $60,000 check to Bristol Borough Raising the Bar to support the nonprofit’s commemorative display honoring President-elect Abraham Lincoln’s historic 1861 stop in Bristol Borough.
The funding will be used for the creation of a permanent, multi-dimensional display at the preserved site, marking Lincoln’s only stop in Bucks County during his inaugural train journey from Springfield, Ill, to Washington.
The planned site is in front of Snyder-Girotti School on the 300 block of Pond Street, where 75 feet of track have been preserved in the approximate location of Lincoln’s brief visit on Feb. 21, 1861. Bristol Borough Raising the Bar aims to complete the project with community support and additional sponsorships.
“This project will not only preserve a significant moment in our national and local history, but it will also draw visitors and residents alike to experience Bristol’s rich cultural heritage,” Davis said. “I’m proud to help support a community-driven initiative that highlights our town’s role in one of the most consequential chapters in American history.”
The commemorative installation — spearheaded by Bristol Borough Raising the Bar, a nonprofit promoting economic development and historic preservation — will include a covered train platform, steel silhouette figures representing Lincoln and the crowd that greeted him, heritage signage, lighting, landscaping, and a digital storytelling component with QR codes linking to Lincoln’s speeches.
“During a time of great turmoil in our nation’s history, President-elect Abraham Lincoln briefly stepped foot in Bristol Borough on his journey to serve in Washington, D.C., spreading a message of unity,” Santarsiero said. “That quick stop to refuel the train carrying Lincoln left a lasting mark on the borough that prevails more than a century later.
“I’m proud to work with Rep. Tina Davis and groups like Bristol Borough Raising the Bar to bring our area’s rich history to life for residents and visitors.”
