Springfield museum in running for Lincoln artifacts

SPRINGFIELD -- The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has one less competitor for a $20 million collection of artifacts related to the 16th president.

The artifacts are being given away by the Philadelphia-based Lincoln Financial Foundation after it closed its Lincoln museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

A representative for a consortium led by the Library of Congress, considered a main rival for the collection, told The (Springfield) State Journal-Register on Tuesday the group is not a finalist.

The foundation has remained secretive about the finalist list, but representatives of the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum have confirmed that Springfield remains in the running, as is an Indiana-based group of historical organizations.

The collection includes photographs from the 19th century and hundreds of Lincoln manuscripts, including a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation.