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10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Torch

Posted on September 8, 2016



A high-tech mobile museum? Check. Train rides? Check. A beer fest? Check. Plenty of live music and dancing? Check. Two days of non-stop planned fun and activities for all ages? Check! We sure know how to throw a party around here and we’re making a big deal about Indiana’s 200th birthday and the year that marks nearly 200 years since Abe Lincoln’s family moved to this area. But let’s not forget about the icing on the cake – the highly anticipated Torch Relay! 19 torchbearers were selected to carry a specially designed torch across Spencer County, symbolically connecting generations to IGNITE (hence the flame) our future. An Indiana masterpiece and the first of its kind, the 2016 Indiana Bicentennial Torch is more than meets the eye.  Here are 10 things that may surprise you about the torch:
  1. It was made right here in Indiana. The torch was designed by a team of Purdue Engineering students, staff, and faculty and was modeled after Indiana’s flag. They’ve taken Hoosier pride to the next level with its striking, symbolic features.
  2. It has a built-in GPS for real-time tracking. You can follow the torch where ever it goes!
  3. There’s an HD camera built into it for photos and video, and it’s connected directly to social media. And we know what you’re wondering – yes, it can even be used for selfies! We’re stoked to see the footage.
  4. The torch is 23.5 inches tall, nearly two feet.
  5. It’s super safe. The torch has a highly reliable burner inspired by oil lamps and tiki torches. Secure transport was a top priority when designing it and it has an automatic shut-off based on the electronic gyroscope. In other words, if the torch falls at any time, the safety system should snuff out the flame when it senses the fall – crisis averted!
  6. It has a mini-me. Yep, there’s a smaller, child-friendly torch that is only fourteen inches tall and weighs less than one pound. Bright colored LED’s provide a realistic flame effect and playful patterns of light.
  7. There’s a bell housed inside of the torch, too. Listen as it rings through the county!
  8. It's made of high-grade, lightweight aluminum alloy and weighs 3.5 pounds.
  9. It’s traveling 3,200 miles throughout all 92 of Indiana’s counties and will pass through the hands of nearly 2,000 selected torchbearers. It will take 37 days to complete the journey.
  10. The torch will make the journey in numerous ways. Here in Spencer County, you can expect it to travel via tractor, golf cart, hay wagon, horseback, antique automobiles, and much more.
And guess what? There’s even an app for it – The Bicentennial Torch Relay App. Follow the torch en route, watch video replays, and read the latest news about it. You can locate a specific torchbearer or check out the different county celebrations. Come out and cheer on the torch and its torchbearers this Saturday at one or all of the stops! For more detailed route information, click here. Click here to view and print the official Bicentennial Event Guide.