The Lincoln-Bedell Statue Park, Westfield, NY

The Lincoln-Bedell Statue Park, Westfield, NY
Photo: B. Perry

N 42 19.317  W 79 34.708

Westfield, New York is a small village a mile from the shore of Lake Erie and 55 miles south of Buffalo.  It is the ‘Grape Juice Capital of the World’ thanks to the presence of the Welch’s Grape Juice company and acres of vineyards growing concord grapes.  Near the crossroads of Hwy 394 and US 20, the Lincoln-Bedell Statue Park commemorates an historic meeting which took place here in 1861.

Grace Bedell was an eleven-year-old local girl who was very concerned that if her candidate for U.S. President, Mr. Abraham Lincoln, didn’t do something about his personal appearance, he would certainly lose the election.  On Oct. 15, 1860, Grace wrote to Lincoln: “I have got 4 brothers and part of them will vote for you any way and if you let your whiskers grow I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you. You would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President.”

Lincoln responded on October 19, 1860, “Your very agreeable letter of the 15th is received... As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affectation if I were to begin it now?”  Although he made no commitment to the whiskers in the letter, he began to grow his beard out soon after that.  On November 6, 1860, Lincoln was elected as the sixteenth president of the United States.

Grace Bedell in the 1870's

In February of 1861, Lincoln’s train journey from Illinois to Washington, D.C. included a stop in Westfield.  Thousands gathered in front of the depot to get a glimpse of the new president.  Lincoln searched the crowd for the small girl who had suggested he grow the full beard he now sported.  Spotting Grace, he approached her.  Years later, Grace described the moment: "He climbed down and sat down with me on the edge of the station platform.  'Gracie,' he said, 'look at my whiskers. I have been growing them for you.' Then he kissed me. I never saw him again." This story was told to many, many children after Mr. Lincoln’s assassination to help them understand the soul of the nation’s fallen leader.

In the little park in Westfield, the bronze statues of President Lincoln and Grace Bedell are the work of sculptor Don Sottile, a native of Westfield.  The statues capture the moment Grace met Lincoln.  The little girl stands in rapt astonishment, a rose fallen from the bouquet in her hand.  Lincoln, stove-pipe hat in hand, looks like he is modeling the new beard for her.  The 2010 movie, Grace Bedell, tells the story of the little girl that changed the face of the nation.  It suggests that she may have changed history as well.  Who knows?  Maybe she did.

GRACE BEDELL TRAILER from Mark Esslinger on Vimeo.

Question of the Day: How Many Electoral College votes did Lincoln get in the Election of 1860?  How many did all of his opponents get added together?  Was it a close election?