You might do a double take when you see a new license plate available in Indiana.
The state is offering the choice of three license plates available to Hoosiers at no additional charge.
When renewing my license plates this week, I had my choice of the default plate, a dark blue one with the state flag design in white. There was also the "In God We Trust" plate. Then there is the plate I chose - the plate that represents the Hoosier State like none other. A plate that has a big picture of Abraham Lincoln on it. I mostly picked it because it made me laugh, thinking that I see pretty much the same plate every day - in Illinois.
Indiana's Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial plate will be available this year and next. On the Indiana BMV Web site, there's an article explaining why it was chosen.
"Too often it is forgotten that America's most eloquent and greatest president spent 14 of his most formative years in Indiana," Ron Stiver, commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, said on the site. "President Lincoln truly does belong to the ages,' and it is only fitting that Hoosiers are able to take part in celebrating the bicentennial of his birth through display of the new Lincoln license plate."
Won't this be a little confusing? Are two states allowed to have the same president on their license plates? Don't get me wrong, Abe Lincoln is a cool guy. Who wouldn't want him to represent his or her state? But it seems funny that there could be more than one "Land of Lincoln." Oh wait, and let's not forget about Kentucky.
When Lincoln, himself, recounted his life, he said he was born Feb. 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Ky. When he was 8, he moved to Indiana, which was a "wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up ... ."
Of course, then Lincoln went to Illinois where he spent eight years on the Illinois legislature and rode the circuits of Illinois courts. He become president in 1860.
Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky have all planned special ways to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birthday next year. I feel proud that my new license plate will help commemorate such a special event.
In the end, maybe it only matters that we remember what an inspiration the man was, and not which state he lived in the longest.
As many of us who live on the Indiana/Illinois border know, it's easy to claim more than one state as our own. We should give the guy a break.
Let's just say Lincoln is a Kentucky native, a child of Indiana and an Illinois leader.
The opinions are solely those of the writer. She can be reached at jpallay@nwitimes.com.
