Will Koch's national park?

Today in roller coaster history:
2001 - Visionary developer William Albert Koch dies at the age of 86. Koch's accomplishments include the first theme park, Holiday World (originally Santa Claus Land), the town of Santa Claus, Indiana, a national park, and a devoted family.

What national park was dear Will involved in?

First of all, we're talking about Bill Koch here, just to keep straight which Koch did what.

Second, According to Paula's press releases, it was the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Lincoln City, Indiana. Apparently it was a state memorial, and Bill Koch was instrumental in getting it declared a Federal memorial.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Actually...Mr. Koch went by "Bill" ... his eldest son is Will.

Mr. Koch headed up the effort to have Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home (in Lincoln City, Indiana...four miles west of Santa Claus) named the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial back in the early 1960s. In fact he was in the Oval Office when John Kennedy signed the bill into law. (Mrs. Koch was there, too. JFK offered her a private tour of the White House. :))

Please keep the Kochs in your prayers...today is a hard day for all of us.

Paula

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Paula Werne
Director of Public Relations
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari
Santa Claus, Ind.
JPWerne@holidayworld.com

Raven Maven said:
"In fact he was in the Oval Office when John Kennedy signed the bill into law. (Mrs. Koch was there, too. JFK offered her a private tour of the White House. )"

Too many comebacks...I cannot choose :)
lata,
jeremy
--who has a soft spot for the HW family

Jeremy...

Indeed. :) Mrs. Koch's is the best...when she tells the story, she says she was standing away from that famous desk, just an onlooker. After JFK finished signing the various documents, he was handing out the pens as souvenirs. He had one left over...and offered it to Mrs. Koch. When he offered her the tour, she says: "He looked at me with those big blue eyes...and I believe EVERY story that's ever been told about him!"

That pen is on display as part of our Lincoln Collection in the same building as the Bavarian Glassblowers and Mrs. Klaus's Kitchen.

Class dismissed! Paula

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Paula Werne
Director of Public Relations
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari
Santa Claus, Ind.
JPWerne@holidayworld.com

Cool! I'll have to check that out when I visit next week.
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Brad Sherman
BuzzCon Frequent Flyer, responsible for guests fleeing the queue in horror!
Model coasters and rides

My prayers definitely go out to the Koch family today as well as those who knew Bill Koch. His memory and legacy will live forever.

I know that the people of Holiday World feel like family and to think I have been there only one time! I hope the Koch family realizes that many people love them because they treat the guests of their park as though they were family and that we are here with them to support them as much as we can.

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My website - Zero G Thrills www.crosswinds.net/~zerogthrills/