Elgin Public Museum to present program on Lincoln

The Elgin Public Museum will present a program about Abraham Lincoln at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at the museum, 225 Grand Blvd., Elgin.

Storyteller Brian "Fox" Ellis will give the program called "Lincoln Tales Tall and True." The program is free, but seating is limited and reservations are required.

The program will be a presentation through the eyes of Austin Gulleher, a lifelong friend of Lincoln. The two were childhood friends and Gulleher saved Lincoln's life at one point.

To reserve a seat for the program, call (847) 741-6655. This program is made possible through a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council and a gift from Gil and Mary Nore of Elgin.

Story Time continues Friday: The Elgin Public Museum is hosting a month-long program focusing on the oral traditions of people around the world. From the Inuit of Alaska to the Dogon of Mali, every culture has myths and legends. Come to the Discovery Room for this free event every Saturday at 2 p.m. to hear some of these amazing stories and learn a little bit about the society it came from.

Drawing upon the traditions of their native lands, Asians have developed an extensive cultural tradition. At the heart of that tradition are some of the world's most colorful folktales. In a lively folktale from Vietnam, a trickster rabbit gets into one scrape after another but always manages to escape. A Japanese stonecutter learns humility in a surprise turn of events. These and other stories will be augmented by music, Japanese story drawings, and small tokens from Asian cultures on Feb. 21.

The final Story Time program focuses on tales native to the Americas on February 28.

The program will be at the Elgin Public Museum, 225 Grand Blvd., in Elgin's Lord Park. The free program is open to all ages. For details, call the museum at (847) 741-6655.