The Rolland Center for Lincoln Research (ACPL)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The Rolland Center for Lincoln Research is now open to the public.
The Center uses both technology and physical items from the Lincoln Collection to tell the story of the nation’s sixteenth President.
Included in the collection are original photographs of Abraham Lincoln, his family, generals and Cabinet members; letters written to and from Lincoln and others in his administration; diaries of Civil War soldiers; and original newspapers printed in the days surrounding Lincoln’s assassination.
The collection, formerly housed in Lincoln Financial’s museum in Fort Wayne, is now divided between ACPL and Indiana State Museum and Historical Sites. The library houses and curates two-dimensional items such as photographs and letters. The ISMHS houses three-dimensional items such as clothing owned by the President and First Lady, as well as other personal items.
The following was issued by the ACPL:
The Rolland Center, which was funded through donations to the Friends of the Lincoln Collection, was built to make the collection more accessible to the public. The family of Ian Rolland, former CEO of Lincoln Financial and member of the Friends of the Lincoln Collection, provided the naming gift for the Center.
“The collection has been at the library for over ten years. However, in order to protect it, we have kept in on a lower level of the library that is not accessible to the public. Our goal in developing this Center is to make the community more aware of this amazing collection. We hope to draw in everyone from school groups to Lincoln scholars,” said Stephanny Smith, Communications Director for ACPL. In addition to providing financial support for the Rolland Center, the Friends of the Lincoln Collection provide funding for ACPL’s two Lincoln Librarians. Those librarians curate the items in the collection, work with scholars and historians, and provide tours to the public. A third staff position has been created to provide further assistance to visitors.
“We were so pleased to be able to provide a private tour of the entire Rolland Center space to the Rolland family. They were absolutely delighted with what they saw. We heard ‘Dad would be so proud’ a lot from Ian and Mimi’s children. There was a touching moment in the Immersive Projection Room when one of the children touched her heart and said she wished Dad (Ian) would have lived to see this. It was a really special moment for all us who have worked to make this center reality,” said Curt Witcher, Special Collections Director for ACPL.
The initial hours for the Rolland Center for Lincoln Research are:
Sunday: 1 to 5
Monday: 9/10 to 5
Tuesday: 9/10 to 8/9
Wednesday: 9/10 to 5
Thursday: 9/10 to 8/9
Friday: 9/10 to 6
Saturday: 9/10 to 6
(Varied opening and closing times reflect whether or not the library is operating under shortened hours due to Code Red COVID-19 protocols.) For more information about the Rolland Center, click here call (260) 421-1200.
