Lincoln College's University Hall is shown in 1900 and 2014. (Photo courtesy Lincoln College)

By Eric Stock

LINCOLN – The only two-year residential college in Illinois has been around for 150 years and its marking its sesquicentennial this weekend.

Lincoln College is inviting faculty, students and alumni to the Lincoln campus Sunday at 2 p.m. to honor the only school named for our 16th president when he was still living.

President John Blackburn said the occasion of the school's founding is preserved in a letter that Lincoln resident Robert Latham wrote to Lincoln informing him the school had been dedicated in his name.

"We have a copy of that letter in our museum here on campus," Blackburn said. "There's quite a history in the town of Lincoln and at the college with the president."

The school was dedicated Feb. 12 1865, what would be Lincoln's last birthday.

The story goes that school commissioners looking for a place to locate a school saw gray skies turn to sun and took it as a sign from God to locate where they did, where University Hall stands today.

The Charter Day program will include a keynote address from Lincoln scholar Wayne Temple.

The two-year residential college also has a campus in Normal which offers four-year degrees.

Ex-Country CEO

Form business to books – Blackburn is using experience from a past career to guide the school's through its latest milestone.

Blackburn spent 30 years at Country Financial, the last 11 as its CEO before retiring and later becoming Lincoln College's president after previously serving on its board. He said it's been a smooth transition for him.

"There's more similarities than differences in managing a small, independent college and managing a business than you might think," Blackburn said. "It's still about people."

Eric Stock can be reached [email protected].