Ada County historical group honors Leroy for work on Abe Lincoln
Boise lawyer David H. Leroy has been honored by the Ada County Historic Preservation Council for his efforts to promote and educate Idahoans on the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln.
Leroy, a former Idaho attorney general, led the creation of the Lincoln Legacy Collection and Exhibition at the Idaho Historical Museum in Julia Davis Park. The exhibit includes original documents, photos, portraits, sculptures, campaign posters and more than 1,000 books collected by Leroy and his wife, Nancy.
The council gave Leroy its Making History Award, which aims to honor people, groups or businesses whose activities today create history.
“David Leroy is the pre-eminent Abraham Lincoln scholar in Idaho,” said Ada County Commissioner Jim Tibbs.
Leroy also arranged the acquisition of office furniture used by Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, during his tenure as general counsel for the Pullman Palace Car Co. in Chicago. The younger Lincoln served in the 1880s and 1890s as U.S. secretary of war and American minister, or ambassador, to England.
The Lincoln Legacy Collection was donated to the state research library in 2013, the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s signature on the document that created the Idaho Territory.
The office suite was donated to Ada County by John McCormac in honor of his wife, Ginny, in 2014, Ada County’s 150th anniversary. It is on display in the lobby of the Ada County Courthouse in Boise.
This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 4:06 PM with the headline "Ada County historical group honors Leroy for work on Abe Lincoln."