Kansas Town Promotes Its Role in Lincoln’s Rise

[Gerald]

Lecompton locals treat visitors to re-enactments of speeches and debates in the hall where the Lecompton Constitution was drafted. It was eventually rejected by the House in 1858.

LECOMPTON, Kan. Cloaked in a top hat, frock coat, pleated shirt and cravat, Paul Bahnmaier is on a frenetic campaign to thrust his 625-person hometown into the spotlight by heralding its seismic yet little-known place in antebellum history: The first step toward Abraham Lincolns election as president took place here.

Over the past couple of weeks, Mr. Bahnmaier, the earnest president of the Lecompton Historical Society, has contacted every local newspaper and television station in this eastern Kansas market, urging them to publicize this blue-collar bedroom communitys story. He is reaching out to about 10 national media outlets and enlisting the help of his sister in Wisconsin to contact the media there.

Although this passion for his hometowns history started before he was old enough to drive, Mr. Bahnmaier, 70, deemed this a timely opening for a full-court publicity blitz because of the recent release of the Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln.

Paul Bahnmaier, president of the Lecompton Historical Society, believes Lecompton, Kan., played a crucial role in the election of President Lincoln.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/23/us...se.html?ref=us

Interesting!

Note: November 22, 2012