Challenge

Since 1895 Delaware County Historical Society has worked to collect, protect, and preserve the area’s culture, traditions, and history. DCHS is home to the original 1860 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Campaign Banner. The 75 foot by 64 foot banner was created for a rally in front of the Media Courthouse to celebrate the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln and features a rare image of him without his beard. It also sported the name of Hannibal Hamlin, Lincoln’s first vice president, but was changed to Andrew Johnson when it was used again in 1864.

Even with careful care, the banner had deteriorated over the years. At the onset of an effort to salvage it, DCHS sought the expertise of appraisers Frisk and Borodin, who confirmed it as a rare and important part of history that needed preserving.

We needed to raise enough funding through donations to cover the restoration and preservation of the banner, as well as the costs of the fundraising campaign.

Solution

Launched on Lincoln’s birthday. DCHS embarked on the Pennies4Lincoln campaign, calling on all Delaware County residents to give what they can to help restore and preserve the precious artifact of the county’s and nation’s history.

DCHS mailed a series of postcards to over 100,000 Delaware County residents asking for “spare change” in an effort to achieve their goal. Posters and donation boxes were also displayed in local businesses.

Campaign was wildly successful. The original goal was $15,000 and the campaign earn more than double.