Lincolns special guests at dinner

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September 26, 2008

BY BARBARA GREENBERG The Commercial-News Fri Sep 26, 2008, 10:24 PM CDT

DANVILLE — Dinner might have been very different if President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln were psychics.

Luckily for the almost 80 guests at Friday night’s “Dinner with the Lincolns,” the two couldn’t see into the future. Instead, they relaxed and enjoyed their dinner before they headed to Ford’s Theater.

Friday night at the Vermilion County Museum in Danville, the couple as presented by Max and Donna Daniels enjoyed a meal similar to one the Lincolns might have eaten that fateful night.

Following the meal, the two spoke about their plans for the future to the other dinner guests.

“We talk about our plans to travel,” Donna Daniels, who portrays Mary Todd Lincoln, said before the dinner. The program they presented at the museum is one they include in their regular repertoire. “My husband speaks about returning to the law and a practice in Springfield.

“He also talks about how he visualizes Reconstruction,” she said. “Then there’s a flashback on the past, a biographical journey up to the Gettysburg Address.”

The Daniels will follow the dinner with several appearances as the Lincolns on Saturday and Sunday at Civil War Days at Kennekuk County Park. Then it’s on to Peoria and Galesburg for the couple, who may be more in demand then usual due to the national bicentennial celebration of Lincoln’s birth. Danville remains one of their favorite destinations.

“People in this town are among the most knowledgeable,” Max observed. “Because of Lamon and Fithian, they know about the time frame.”

Donna said, “People here challenge us with obscure questions, but Max responds to them with answers.”

Guests at Friday night’s dinner found food they could recognize on the menu, according to Museum Director Sue Richter. She discussed the menu before the buffet dinner.

“In Lincoln’s time, they were heavy on the meat,” Richter said. “They also didn’t eat their fruit and vegetables raw like we do. Salads were more in the form of relishes. Most things were cooked then.

“Lincoln liked poultry, so we’ll serve baked chicken with gravy as well as Swiss steak. They ate a lot of turnips and squash, but we’ll have mashed potatoes and green beans instead.”

“Mary Lincoln made a cake that her husband liked, but other people called it horrible,” Richter said. “We’ll serve a different cake recipe, but we’ll use the pink icing he preferred.”

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