By Ed Epstein
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
It was a cold and snowy morning today at the Lincoln Memorial, but that didn't cancel the annual commemoration of Abraham Lincoln's birth.
But unlike in other years, when there is a military band, a parade of wreath layers from a host of organizations and a reading of the Gettysburg Address, today's event was a do-it-yourself affair. The wreaths were delivered by florists in the morning, and representatives of organizations laid the floral tributes throughout the day. The Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia was among the first to place its wreath at the base of Daniel Chester French's monumental sculpture of a seated Lincoln.
In all, there were 18 wreaths sent to honor Lincoln. Not bad for a man who turned 216 years old today.
Even in the clammy, slushy cold that saw about six inches of wet snow, tourists streamed through the memorial, which is the most visited memorial in Washington, by far.
