Lincoln and Santa

We’re at Lincoln State Park in Lincoln City, Indiana.  The park is just across the road from the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, so when we set off exploring this morning, that was our first stop. 

A few things we learned:

-- After losing property in a title dispute, Lincoln’s father moved his family from Kentucky to Indiana in 1816. Lincoln lived here from ages 7 to 21.

-- Just two years after the family moved to Indiana, Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, died of “milk fever.” The fatal illness was caused by drinking milk from cows that had eaten a toxic plant called white snakeroot.

-- Lincoln's father, Thomas, went back to Kentucky and married a widow he had known for many years, Sarah Bush Johnson.  She came to Indiana with her three children and successfully blended the two families.

-- As a teenager, Lincoln started a business shuttling passengers to river boats in middle of the Ohio River.  He was sued by a company that ferried people across the river, represented himself in court, and won the case. This spurred his interest in being an attorney.

-- In 1828 he got a job piloting a boat to New Orleans, where he saw a slave auction.  What Lincoln witnessed strengthened his abolitionist views.

After the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, we learned about another great man  -- Santa Claus.

Santa Claus, Indiana is just 6 miles from our campground.   It’s a real tourist destination.  We don’t like crowds, and luckily for us, the big seasons are Christmas (naturally) and summertime -- so no crowds.  Attractions are Holiday World amusement park; Splashin’ Safari water park; “Frosty’s Fun Center,” an arcade with a giant melting snowman; Santa’s Candy Castle where you can chat with an elf; and more.  

We didn’t visit any of them. 

Instead, as part of Jim’s continuing search for good beer, we went to Old Tyme Liquors, where we met owner Amy, who is an unofficial good-will ambassador for the town of Santa Claus.  She gave us the scoop on the town and told us it was the creation of Bill Koch, a visionary who developed the holiday-themed attractions plus Christmas Lake Village, where most of the residents live.  

While grabbing a bite to eat we saw a brochure that led us our next stop: Monkey Hollow Winery.  What a beautiful place, what a gracious and interesting wine tasting host, and what great wine. Monkey Hollow recently won medals for six of their wines at the Indy International Wine Competition and we bought a bottle of Pasture White.   My second favorite wine had by first favorite name:  Pasture Limit.

The visitor's center has 5 relief sculptures  with scenes from states important to Lincoln’s life. 

The Trail of Twelve Stones features monuments containing rocks from sites important in Lincoln’s history, including where he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation, where he gave the Gettysburg address, and the house where he died.  Sounds weird when I write it -- but it was touching.

Bev in front of the Santa Claus, Indiana, town hall.

Jim at the Old Tyme Liquors in Santa Claus, along with Amy the vivacious proprietor. 

Jim at Monkey Hollow Winery in St. Meinrad, Indiana.  

We didn't have a reservation at Lincoln State Park, but got a site right on the lake.