National Public Lands Day Event at Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek

Date: August 30, 2009
Contact: Doug Richardson, 270.358.3137

National Park Service to Offer National Public Lands Day Events

Events offer opportunities to become stewards of the national public lands

As part of the National Public Lands Day celebration across the country, the National Park Service will be offering opportunities for individuals and groups to help maintain and preserve their National Parks for future generations.

On Saturday, September 26^th, 2009, volunteers will have an opportunity to assist park staff at the park’s Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home Unit at Knob Creek. At 10:00AM (ET), volunteers will help park staff clean and clear the interpretive garden at Knob Creek. In this interpretive garden, visitors can learn the type of crops, herbs, and wildflowers that the Lincoln family and others would have planted in their day.

Unable to secure land ownership at the Sinking Spring Farm, Thomas Lincoln moved his family, including two year-old Abraham, to the Knob Creek farm a few miles away. Here a young Abraham spent five years of his youth from 1811 until 1816. Lincoln's earliest memories were of the Knob Creek Farm and the years he lived there.

The interpretive garden at Knob Creek has proved to be popular with staff, volunteers, and the public. The success of the garden would not happen were it not for the outstanding efforts of volunteers.

In appreciation of the work to be done on September 26^th, the park will host a hot dog luncheon for participants. There is no charge to participate in this event, but interested persons are asked to contact the park at [phone] by September 20^th. Other volunteer possibilities can be found at www.publiclandsday.org .

The Boyhood Home Unit at Knob Creek is located along 31E north, six miles north of Hodgenville. The Knob Creek unit of the park is open from sunrise to sunset, and after Labor Day is staffed when staffing is available.

For more information on Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, please call 270.358.3137, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/abli