On Dec. 2, Naperville unveiled its new ‘Laughing Lincoln’ statue. The statue shows a young, clean-shaven Abraham Lincoln laughing on a park bench. Located on the property formerly used for the DuPage County Courthouse, the statue commemorates the cooperation between Lincoln and Joseph Naper in the formation of the county.

The unveiling ceremony was held in the park at 2:00 p.m. Among the speakers were Mayor Steve Chirico, Representative Grant Wehrli, and an Abraham Lincoln re-enactor portraying the man himself. David Alan Clark, the sculptor, was also in attendance and described his work to attending Napervillians.  

The ceremony drew a decent sized crowd as people gathered to hear the speakers and take photographs with the new statue. Following the ceremony, viewers were invited to Wentz Concert Hall, where an exhibit featuring the history behind and construction of the statue.