Standing in front of an American flag, Howard Wright, dean of students at the Renbrook School in West Hartford, gazed at the dozens in the audience, and spoke with a slow country drawl as he re-enacted speeches of Abraham Lincoln.
Lincoln passed through the state in March 1860, speaking in Bridgeport, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven and Norwich.
Wright's performance was part of the 1860 Lincoln Lecture Tour, in which the Connecticut Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission will deliver a program in each of the five cities Lincoln visited.
"They've presented in Bridgeport and Norwich," said Ruth Borsuk, former president of the 117-year-old Meriden Historical Society, which organized the presentation, held as part of the Pre-Daffodil Festival. "Now it's our turn."
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"When Lincoln came to Connecticut, it was for a very specific purpose," Burlingame said. "They were fearful the Democrats would win Connecticut."
Resident Jim Nemeth has read more than 200 books on the Civil War and Lincoln.
"I've been a Lincoln fan all my life and a Civil War fan," he said. It was the first time Nemeth and his wife, Kathy, had watched Lincoln's speeches re-enacted and they found it quite enjoyable.
Wright said it took months to memorize the speeches and excerpts. The bicentennial commission's co-chairman, Wright, said he was first attracted to Lincoln because of his use of words.
Around the same time, several other activities were taking place around the park to kick off the Daffodil Festival.
A ceremony presenting the newly remodeled Halfway House, between the bottom of West Peak and Castle Craig, started at noon. The structure, now 111 years old, was pretty much in disrepair before resident Tom Cadden established a committee of about 15 contractors who volunteered to renovate and landscape observation site. No city funds were used in the restoration process.
"That used to be a very popular stop," said Ernie Larsen, the festival's treasurer. "On a good day, you can see all the way to Long Island Sound."
Also Sunday, a road race took place in the morning and the Augusta Curtis Cultural Center Band performed in the afternoon.
Children and parents rode the carousel and Ferris wheel, played games and ate candy apples, nachos and fried dough. Some paused to pose and take pictures among the daffodils at the park's entrance.
Shania Godbout, 6, was holding a pink dolphin and posing with her 3-year-old sister, Shyann. "I like the flowers," Shania said. "But I don't like the bees."
Their father, Dennis, snapped photos of the girls and praised the day's perfect weather.
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