"The horse that helped build America"

PETERSBURG - "The horse that helped build America," the Morgan Horse, will be featured in exhibits and demonstrations Saturday, July 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site.

Twenty-five minute demonstrations of Morgan Horses and their history will be given at 10:30 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA), New Salem Lincoln League, and the Mississippi Valley Morgan Horse Club.

Morgan Horses date back to Colonial New England. They were used in the cavalry during the Civil War, worked on pioneer farms, and can be seen today on mounted patrols in metropolitan areas and parks. They are also in demand as show animals. Morgan Horses are prized for their graceful carriage, expressive heads, alertness and stamina.

Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site, administered IHPA, is a recreation of the 1830s log village where Abraham Lincoln lived for six years. It is located along Route 97 about two miles south of Petersburg and 20 miles northwest of Springfield, and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tours are free, although a donation of $4 for adults and $10 per family is suggested