As the Lincoln Bicentennial is observed Feb. 12, it becomes noteworthy to consider that the oldest memorial plaque in Scripps Park is the one dedicated to Abraham Lincoln installed by a small group of La Jolla pioneers commemorating the Lincoln Centennial in 1909. Feb. 12 was a blustery day with bursts of rain showers 100 years ago when the ceremony was held, erecting a flagstaff while patriotic songs were sung and the Gettysburg Address was read and various tributes were made to the celebrated American president. When the sky burst forth with a drenching rainstorm, the ceremonies were continued in the nearby La Jolla Presbyterian Church. When the rain subsided, the group returned to the park for completion. The program was put together by Walter S. Lieber, a Philadelphian who came to La Jolla to live in 1904 and quickly became a community leader. It was attended by San Diego city mayor John F. Forward, the city councilmen and members of the park commission. Also attending were two Confederate and 12 Federal war veterans. Among the former was La Jolla’s venerated M.C. Close, known for his flowing white beard and repartee. He praised Lincoln’s presidency and also was called upon to raise the flag, but frailty caused him to ask for help. A newspaper article of the time noted: “Patriarchal and stately, a fine figure in his simple suit of blue, the old soldier made a picture long to be remembered.” Austin Adams, another well-known La Jollan who had risen to fame as a playwright in New York, sketched Lincoln’s kindness and justice in dramatic fashion. Schoolchildren were called upon to sing the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “America” and “Red, White and Blue.” They formed a procession to the park through La Jolla accompanied by a drummer and a group of dignitaries, the latter arriving for the celebration by train from San Diego. One outstanding guest of the day was R.H. Spears of Indianapolis, whose claim to fame was being ‘the man who looks like Lincoln.” The ceremony concluded late in the afternoon when the sun came out, the flag was finally raised again and a granite boulder was unveiled with a bronze tablet containing the following inscription: “Abraham Lincoln, Centennial Memorial. 1809 – Feb. 12 – 1909 Erected by the Citizens of La Jolla, California.” The memorial remains today, a fitting remembrance during the Lincoln Bicentennial. — “Reflections” is a monthly column written for the La Jolla Village News by the La Jolla Historical Society’s historian Carol Olten. The Society, dedicated to the preservation of La Jolla heritage, is located at 7846 Eads Ave. and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
