One day I read a story in the Kahoku Shimpo about an American soldier, named Abraham Lincoln. This Abraham Lincoln is a descendant of President Abraham Lincoln who was the 16th President of the United States.The newspaper article mentioned that Abraham was stationed at Camp Sendai and Camp Schimmelpfennig from April 1954 through April 1956. During this time he had taken many photographs of people, places and things. He hoped many people in Sendai would look and see how times used to be in Sendai.

　His Web site was small when I began to visit it but it gradually grew into a vast library of historical photographs that really impressed me. I sent him an email explaining my impressions and told him that I had studied in Kawauchi Campus where he had lived. He replied by email saying he was happy to learn that I liked his Web site very much.

　That is how we became acquainted and began sending emails to each other almost every day.

　Then I thought it would be very nice if I could locate all of those places Abraham once stood and took his pictures.If I could find them then I could also take a photograph of the same scene and email them to Abraham.I knew he would be surprised to see how much things have changed over the many years since he has been gone.It was very hard for me to find all of the places that he had been because everything has changed so much.I used my digital camera to take many photographs just like Abraham did. I attached them to email and sent them almost every day.Abraham answered and was very excited and happy to get them. He found it hard to believe how much things have changed. In a way I think it made him sad because it would be hard for him to find his way around the city today.

　On the very day that I was born in 1955, Abraham left Sendai to return to the United States for his father's funeral. While he was there he got acquainted with his wife-to-be, Patrician Ann Custer (she is a 4th cousin to General George Armstrong Custer who was killed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876) and gave her an engagement ring. It was on the 1st of April and in America it is called "April Fools Day" and people play practical jokes on each other. So she thought his engagement ring offer was a "joke."

　The Kahoku Shimpo and Miyagi Broadcasting both featured his story.

　Some of the things he took pictures of in those days remain the same and he would remember them. But most are changed now and others have totally vanished.

things which still remain
		Stairs of Zuihoden's stone pavement
		Stone lanterns of Zuihoden
		Ohashi Bridge over the Hirose River
		Cliff of Hyoujogawara
		Goshiki-pond
		The Astronomical Observatory in the West Park
		Torii and Eagle monument on Castle Hill
		Torii of Osaki-hachiman shrine
		Matsushima-jou Hotel in Matsushima
		Rock caves of Matsushima Zuigan-temple
		Kannon statue of Matsushima Zuigan-temple
		Hukuura Bridge in Matsushima
		Three barracks in Camp Sendai
things which didn't remain as they were but changed their shape
		Zelkova trees along Hirosedori Avenue and Aobadori Avenue
		Alley reaching old Nakanose footbridge
		Bar on the second floor of the building near the entrance of Nakake-cho
		Insurance Office Center（Kamisugi）
		Old bridge piers of Yodomi Bridge
		Masamune bronze statue on Castle Hill (cement foundation is the same）
		Remains of bridge pier of of Hyoujogawar footbridge
things which have completely changed
		Construction site of AER building near Sendai station
		Miyagi Prefecture Offices
		Miyagi University of Education attached elementary school former site (present:Miyagi first woman high school)