On Monday afternoon, a crew brought in equipment to continue shooting a new documentary about Abraham Lincoln’s life on the Old 8th Judicial Circuit. The project began last fall with scenes at Funks Grove.

The documentary is being produced by Allison Davis Wood for WILL-TV, the University of Illinois’s public television station in Urbana. It will be aired nationwide.

Wood admits the project is larger in scale than what she and production supervisor Tim Hartin usually do. The pair has already created several nationally-distributed documentaries.

“It will air in 2009, and will be distributed to other PBS stations across the country,” Wood said. “We hope to (release it) as close to Feb. 12, 2009, as we can.”

That date is the 200th anniversary of the 16th president’s birth.

“We were really lucky to get support for the project from the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission,” Wood said. “We got a $40,000 grant and then we reapplied (the following year) and got $30,000. We’re very lucky.”

Wood, who grew up in Springfield, said she’s fascinated with the project.

“My mother was a great lover of history,” she said, “and I heard so many stories growing up. It’s exciting and fun for me to explore (Lincoln’s life on the circuit) and tell people about these treasures.

“I hope when people come to Springfield, they will get on the road and visit all of these other historic sites where Lincoln walked and lived.”

Dean and Dana Williams of Dean Williams Pro-ductions, Springfield, provided the grip truck, production equipment and assistance for the project.

Wood said one of the scenes being shot in Mount Pulaski will actually appear in the movie as taking place in the Lincoln Herndon Law Office in Springfield.

Part of the documentary relates the story of the Melissa Goins trial. Goins was accused of murdering her husband.

“The legend is that Lincoln represented her,” Wood said. “He went to meet with her while the court was taking a recess. She said she was thirsty.

“Lincoln said, ‘I hear there’s mighty fine water in the Tennessee River.’ He opened the window, and when he returned, she was gone.”

Wood said the case really took place at the Metamora Courthouse, but the crew is trying to stretch its budget as far as possible.

Actors, crewmembers and onlookers were all crowded into the first-floor hallway of the courthouse Tuesday. Cables snaked across the floor and other equipment was stashed in corners and in rooms not being used for scenes.

Rebecca Drake (the crew’s local contact person) and Bob McCue were selected as extras, “to walk past a door,” and other Mount Pulaskians stood by in full costume in case they were needed.

Hartin had told Drake he would need volunteers to play abolitionists, accusers in a character case, baliffs, lawyers and witnesses.

Tuesday morning, Mollie Viagart and Chris Harris, who plays Ward Hill Lamon, a law partner of Abraham Lincoln, did a scene in which Lamon attempts to flirt with the young woman.

Wood said the scene emphasizes Lamon’s reputation as a drinker and a womanizer.

Linda Suits of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency was there to keep an eye on the courthouse and its treasures.

“They’re moving artifacts around,” Suits said. “I’m here to make sure nothing happens to our resource. We’re really excited to partner with WILL.”

Viagart and Harris repeated the scene several times, first to get a feel for the dialogue and movements, then to repeat a successful run-through that was interrupted by a ringing cell phone.

Done for the time being, the actors then crossed the street to an empty storefront on the east side of the square that is being used for meal service and costuming.

“I worked with Tim and Alison before, when they did the “Ten Sisters” documentary,” Vigart said. “When they started this project, Tim called me and asked if I wanted to work on it.”

The 17-year-old attends Central High School in Champaign, where she is also involved in the school’s production of “Rent.”

Shooting for the Lincoln documentary will continue at the courthouse today and Thursday.