I have a good sense of direction, so my first order of business on day two was getting myself straightened out. It helped to know my suspicion the hotel faced north was accurate. I presented myself to the front desk to try to make sense of the map they provided. Admitting their map was less than helpful, the desk clerk printed out a better one.
We took a taxi to Ford’s theater, which was truly fascinating. The first thing we came across was a quilt! It was a fundraiser for the Civil War effort.
The museum told an in-depth story of Lincoln’s presidency. I’m familiar with history of the Civil War and the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination, but I was drawn to the displays about the Lincolns as parents and the really eerie portends Lincoln had of his death. It was certainly as if he knew his fate, even saying goodbye to his doorman instead of goodnight, which was his habit.
The precocious Lincoln son, Tad, was always up to something: tying goats to a chair and driving himself through a crowded East Room reception, standing behind his father and waving a Confederate flag, and charging a five cent “entrance fee” to the presidential offices. Lincoln, who had frequently been absent from his family, was a permissive father who indulged his son’s hi-jinks.
When Tad made a friend of the turkey sent to the White House for Christmas dinner, he interrupted his father’s Cabinet meeting to demand a presidential pardon for “Jack,” a tradition that continues today.
Also of great interest was Mary Lincoln’s war with the press. The White House was not in good shape when the Lincolns moved in. Mary sought to return historic furnishings and remodel, much the way Jackie Kennedy did in the 1960s. The press did not appreciate Mary’s efforts and the sour relationship contributed to Mary’s less-than-kind historical persona.
The presidential box is decorated as it was the night Lincoln was shot. The gray paneling below is the set for a current production. Ford’s Theater still features live performances.
The Peterson House
We spent hours at the theater and across the street at the Peterson House where Lincoln died and still didn’t see everything. I’ve traveled to Springfield, Illinois and visited Lincoln’s home and grave. I felt more of a connection to him there than I did in Washington.
I was trying to get my bearings with my newly printed map when the lady in the gift shop suggested we use the phone for directions. Well, duh, I surely never thought of that, but it gave us excellent walking directions and we never used a map again.
First souvenir—Big thumbs up for this one.
We decided we didn’t need a taxi, so we stopped at our first Smithsonian building on the way back—Natural History. We spent some time looking at fossils.
In need of a CVS for things we thought we forgot but didn’t, we walked south of our hotel for the first time. After asking about nearby restaurants, we found The Wharf, a new development on the Potomac with lots of eateries.
We picked a southern-style restaurant called Milk and Honey. I don’t even like grits but was tempted by their award-winning shrimp and Parmesan grits. It might have been the best thing I ever ate.
On our way back to the hotel, we came across this beautiful church and stopped to take some pictures.
