Hildene invites penny counters

MANCHESTER — Officials at Hildene, the family home of Robert Todd Lincoln, reminded people recently of the connection between Thanksgiving and Lincoln’s father, President Abraham Lincoln.

On Oct. 3, 1863, President Lincoln signed the first annual national “Thanksgiving Proclamation” designating the last Thursday of November as the official annual day of celebration for our nation. The Civil War president was hopeful that the end of the war was in sight and viewed the holiday as a time for a weary people to pause and give thanks, Hildene officials said.

At Hildene, Thanksgiving marks the arrival of the holiday season. To honor Lincoln’s role in the Thanksgiving celebration and to acknowledge his relentless curiosity and ability to tackle the most serious of challenges, Hildene invites visitors to “Guess the Lincoln Pennies in the Jar.”

The contest runs through Dec. 2. The young winner, who must be between the ages of 5 and 15, will be the person who guesses closest to the total number of pennies and he or she will receive a check in their name for the actual amount. A matching check will be sent to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

An adult winner will also be chosen and will receive a copy of “Giant in the Shadows: The Life of Robert T. Lincoln,” written by Jason Emerson, a Lincoln scholar and former Hildene scholar in residence.

Only one entry per person is allowed and no admission fee or store purchase is required to enter the contest.

Hildene is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information visit www.hildene.org, call 362-1788 or email info@hildene.org.