PAPILLION, Neb. (KMTV) — A new statue of the 16th president now stands – or sits technically – in a Papillion park, with design details nodding to the transcontinental railroad and Nebraska's early history.
A new Abraham Lincoln statue is the latest addition to a Papillion City Park, and local leaders say the monument carries a deeper historical connection to the city than many residents may realize.
Mayor David Black said Lincoln's legacy is directly tied to Papillion's origins.
"People don't realize Papillion's an 1870s railroad town... he signed some major legislation in I think 1862 that really set the stage for Nebraska history," Black said.
Sculptor Sutton Betti built the statue in just 3 months, incorporating nods to the transcontinental railroad and other details into the design. Betti said the bar was high.
"There's 700 plus statues of him out there so there's pressure to get it good," Betti said.
Dave Wiegers, a board member of the Abraham Lincoln Association, was on hand for the announcement. Wiegers travels the country photographing Lincoln statues for his Facebook page and has seen more than 300. He said this one stands out.
"Oh this is a good one I always look at the face and he's captured the face," Wiegers said.
Wiegers made the roughly 1,200-mile round trip from his home in Chicago to see the new statue — and said the drive is worth it.
"What's another 500 miles when you're looking for Lincoln you know," Wiegers said.
The city said it plans to add informational signage next to the statue so park visitors can learn more about Lincoln's connection to Papillion and Nebraska history.
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