Remembering The Gettysburg Address 150 Years Later

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) - "Four score and sever years ago," well actually, 150 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech in Soldier's National Cemetery in Gettysburg.

The speech may have been short, but the impact was huge and still resonates with people today. It became known as the Gettysburg Address. Today, people still gather at the cemetery, not only to remember those buried there, but the President who spoke there.

Bob Hauer, of WHP Radio in Gettysburg, was there for the anniversary ceremony Tuesday, and joined KDKA Radio's Bill Rehkopf on the Afternoon News to talk about his experiences.

"It was a brisk November day, seemingly some of the very similar things that soldiers would have been dealing with into November as it got closer and closer in time for Lincoln to make that really short speech," Hauer said. "It was interesting to be a part of it and watch it unfold too, especially watching the people mouth the words to the Gettysburg address along with the re-enactor."

Hauer said that President Abraham Lincoln could not have been more wrong in the Gettysburg Address when he said, "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never be forgotten what they did here."

To still be commemorating the address 150 years later, its safe to say those buried there are not forgotten. Hauer tells Rehkopf about the impact that Lincoln had on so many even though he never thought that highly of his actions.

"Lincoln himself would have been so honored to be included as one of these great figures in American History because he had such reverence for the founding fathers of the country. He never thought that he could have a Mount Rushmore type role on American History."

You can hear the whole interview here:

You can also listen to the Afternoon News with Bill Rehkopf weekdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.