Few American presidents capture our imagination or have
risen to such mythic proportions as President Abraham Lincoln. From his humble
beginnings in a log cabin on the frontier of Kentucky, to his leadership
during the darkest hours of the Civil War, his determination to hold the
Union together during such a bloody conflict was, and is still, inspiring to so many of us. His legacy is counted through countless events including the
Emancipation Proclamation and the eventual passage of the 13th
amendment to abolish slavery. And sadly, one
of President Lincoln’s most enduring legacies was his tragic assassination,
becoming the first American President to be killed while in office.
Ford's Theatre |
Although countless monuments, memorials, and museums celebrate
his place in our nation’s history, none connect visitors to President Lincoln’s
legacy quite like Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site. Ford’s Theatre
National Historic Site serves as a place where the violent events of April
14-15, 1865 can be experienced almost first hand.
The Presidential Box |
Three key pieces make up this experience at the National
Historic Site. First, there is Ford’s
Theatre. The historic shell of the
building is all that truly remains of the actual theatre that President Lincoln
attended on that fateful night in April. But, the interior was painstakingly rebuilt in the 1960’s to the exact
detail during President Lincoln’s lifetime. The presidential box, where President
Lincoln sat, is eerily identical to the grainy black and white
images taken of the box following the assassination. From crown molding to historic paint colors, walking
into Ford's Theatre is like being transported back in time.
Another piece to this immersive experience is the National Historic
Site’s museum collection on display in the Theatre’s basement. This exhibit space houses one-of-a-kind
artifacts associated with President Lincoln, his assassination, and the
conspirators. A lot of these artifacts
were collected as evidence by the War Department following the assassination,
and include the infamous Dillinger gun used by John Wilkes Booth.
Sign at the Petersen Boarding House |
Petersen House |
The third and final piece
is across 10th Street, at the Peterson Boarding House, the house where Lincoln Died. This is the actual house where Lincoln was
carried, and later died, after the fatal shot. The house quickly
became a national shrine and place of pilgrimage - and little has changed since
April 15, 1865. Like the different pieces
of evidence in a murder mystery novel, all three pieces of this National
Historic Site connect the visitor not only to the tragic story of President
Lincoln’s death, but to the places where these historic events unfolded.
It is estimated that over 15,000 books have been written about Lincoln. Countless movies from the recent Abraham
Lincoln, Vampire Hunter to the more critically acclaimed Lincoln continue to keep Hollywood
occupied. Despite all these efforts to
bring the story of President Lincoln to life, nothing comes close to the
personal connections and experiences one can make during a trip to Ford’s Theatre
National Historic Site.
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