Groups vying for Lincoln artifacts

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Dozens of museums, libraries and other groups are vying to acquire the presidential collection amassed by an Abraham Lincoln museum in Indiana set to close this summer.

About 30 organizations interested in taking over the Lincoln Museum's collection attended a meeting Thursday in Philadelphia hosted by the Lincoln Financial Foundation, the owner/operator of the Fort Wayne museum scheduled to close June 30 because of low visitor interest.

The foundation has set a June 15 deadline for proposals to take over the collection of artifacts and documents, including a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln family belongings, manuscripts, photographs and period artifacts valued at $20 million.

"On June 30, we'll still close," said Anna Gauthier, a spokeswoman for insurer Lincoln Financial Group formerly based in Fort Wayne.

The Friends of the Lincoln Museum, a Fort Wayne-based group, was among the organizations represented in Philadelphia.

Marilyn Moran-Townsend, a member of that group, is hopeful it might get the collection because it will require library and museum partnerships that the group already has in place.

"We will no doubt be the easiest collaboration for the Lincoln Foundation to work with," she said.

On March 3, Lincoln officials said they no longer wanted to operate the 80-year-old museum. Closing the museum and moving the collection, they said, would increase its visibility and accessibility.

Gauthier declined to disclose the organizations attending Thursday's meeting but said the company was pleased with the level of interest.