UW's Lincoln statue turns 100

MADISON (AP) - The elegant Abraham Lincoln statue atop the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Bascom Hill marks a notable milestone.

The replica of sculptor Adoph Weinman's original of Lincoln seated in thoughtful pose is being cleaned and waxed for its 100-year anniversary celebrations in July and September. The events will include Lincoln impersonators and explanations about Lincoln's connections to Wisconsin.

Lincoln signed the Morrill Land Grant College Act, allowing UW-Madison to purchase 933 acres for less than $2 per acre.

UW unveiled the statue in 1909 after UW alumnus Richard Lloyd Jones convinced Weinman to accept an $8,000 offer to make a replica for the campus.

Click here to see a slideshow of the statue's history.