WASHINGTON DC – Lincoln, Booth and the Prez

Tuesday – Because we bought an all loops 48 hour ticket for the Big Bus – we get a free River Cruise.  Another way to view DC and yet another way to relax, what could be better than that.  I wonder if they have wine? It is hard to believe that today is our last day in DC.  It is a wonderful city, very open and lots of things to see and all for free, well most things for free.  We have our usual Golden Arches brekky – the skies are blue – the weather is fine – and away we go!  We are going to visit Ford’s Theatre first and then do our cruise.  Walking to our pick up point we pass the original Smithsonian Institute.  Called ‘The Castle’ for obvious reasons, it stands majestically amongst the DC landscape. Housing the Smithsonian Administration office and the Information Centre it is considered the anchor of the National Mall.

HISTORY LESSON : British scientist James Smithson left most of his wealth to his nephew Henry James Hungerford; however, when Hungerford died childless in 1835, the estate passed “to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase & diffusion of knowledge among men.”, in accordance with Smithson’s will. Congress officially accepted the legacy bequeathed to the nation, and pledged the faith of the United States to the charitable trust on 1st July 1836.

But back to the story – walking, walking we find a suitable Red Line stop near the Museum of American History where we wait and take more photos.

Our bus comes along and there is not many people on board so it is upstairs at the front and while waiting for take off we see this most interesting sight.  Looks like the entire class is out for a stroll and don’t you just love those strollers?  Maybe it is the ankle biters version of the Big Bus?  On we go taking more photos of street names – things are desperate – and we arrive at Ford’s Theatre.

For those of you who are saying ‘what is so special about Ford’s Theatre’ I wish to advise that it is the theatre where Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot.  It is still a working theatre to this day with outstanding performances of plays and musicals and being part of the National Park Service and classed as a National Historic Site, its heritage lives on.  There is no entry fee but timed tickets are issued so that there are not hundreds of people tramping all over the place.  We front up to the Box Office and claim our tickets and then it is on to discover more about the theatre and that fateful night.  Picture on the right is the entry after you go past the Box Office.

There are a lot of displays concentrating on events during Lincoln’s life – for example the Civil War.  Lincoln had seen the end of the Civil War but unfortunately he did not live long enough to heal the wounds left by the war.

There is a quilt made of  squares that were personally signed by Lincoln, Grant and Sherman.  There are also personal items – Mary Lincoln’s fan, plates and dishes from the Presidency and an office set up with a statue of Lincoln reading a book. You can check out all of these on the Ford’s Theatre link above.

It is at this time we are swamped by schoolies – some even having the bad manners to sit on the glass topped table until we snort at them and ask them politely to get off! Really!!

In a corner there is also a display of Union Army Generals and the Gettysburg Address.  This is very interesting as there were so many Generals during the war – but many people (including me) only hear about 2 or 3.

There are lots of interesting facts to read and also a movie that tells the history of Lincoln. Not to be forgotten is also a history of John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators.

Statues of Booth with gun at the ready and his companions line the hallway like ghosts from the past.  Some artefacts belonging to Booth on display include his boot.  When Booth arrived at Dr. Samuel Mudd’s house in need of medical care for an injured leg, Mudd cut the boot and removed it from Booth’s swollen ankle.

Another gem is Booth’s Escape Journal which lets us discover his thoughts.  Such a display of emotions, he justifies Lincoln’s murder: “Our country owed all her troubles to him, and God simply made me the instrument of his punishment.”

The ‘Piece de Resistance’ is the actual gun that Booth used to shoot Lincoln.  What a tiny gun to cause such turmoil.  Fashioned from brass and weighing barely eight ounces, John Wilkes Booth’s single shot .44 calibre derringer pistol discharged a ball of lead less than 1cm in diameter.

A slow spreading cloud of blue-grey smoke was its immediate signature and even before the scent of burning gunpowder left the air on the night of 14th April, 1865, the course of history was forever altered.  Our visit to the artefacts section now over, we can enter the actual theatre where the Presidential box of Abraham Lincoln can still be seen.

We are seated and then given a very interesting talk by the resident Park Ranger on Lincoln, Booth and the events of the night.  After our lesson we can then proceed upstairs to get an overall view. It really is incredible to see the actual place where Lincoln and his party were watching the play when the fatal shot rang out.

There are a quite a few people here all heading over to the area including school kids and it never ever ceases to amaze me what comes out of their mouths.  Standing back and taking everything in, one nit wit says I wonder if the blood is still there.  I heave a sigh and decide it is time to leave.

After crossing the road we enter The Petersen House where Lincoln died.  On the night of April 14, 1865 the unconscious President was carried across the street and placed in a back bedroom (below right) in this house while his wife Mary and his son Robert waited in the parlour (below left).

The Petersen family aided as they could, although on this night their home was no longer their own. Over 90 people would come and go through the house to pay their last respects to the dying President. Soldiers stood guard at the front door and were posted on the roof to keep the growing crowds at bay while doctors cared for the President.  The Petersen family and some of the boarders spent the night in the basement and at 7:22 am, April 15, 1865, Abraham Lincoln died in the back bedroom of this humble house.

At the end of the walk through exhibit there is a ‘Lincoln Mortuary Carriage’ which is a scaled replica of the train carriage that carried his body.  As in the house, everything is replica but not to disappoint, another stupid comment is made (Gee the coffin is small isn’t it? I though he was over 6 foot tall).  Yep time for us to leave the mentally challenged to their thoughts.

Next adventure – a walk to the White House and lunch with the Obamas.  It is only a 15 minute walk and we go past The Willard Hotel.

HISTORY LESSON : A most celebrated historic site, it has been the focal point for elegant dinners, meetings and gala social events for more than 150 years. It has hosted almost every U.S. President since Franklin Pierce in 1853. On August 28, 1963, the Reverend Martin Luther King finished his famous “I Have A Dream” speech while a guest at the Willard. 

Other notable guests have included Charles Dickens, Buffalo Bill, David Lloyd George, P.T. Barnum, Lord and Lady Napier and countless others. Walt Whitman mentioned the hotel in his works; and Mark Twain penned two books here in the early 1900s. Throughout the ages, no phrase has raised eyebrows like “I’m staying at the Willard.”

Unfortunately I do not think I will ever utter those words!

The White House – everyone knows this building.  A most impressive sight standing on well manicured lawns and gardens not to mention the security guards strategically stationed monitoring every move by all.  This is the north side of the building where dignitaries enter and drive up to the front door.  No matter how hard I look I cannot see any movement so obviously they have forgotten we have come for lunch.  All I can say is that they will not get another chance!

There are many people taking photos and it is a wonder that the fence is not electrified as cameras and peoples arms (mine included) are thrust through the fence railings to get a clear view.

Behind us is another well known park – Lafayette Square  In 1824, the park was named after Marquis de Lafayette, a loyal Frenchman who fought for the Americans in the Revolutionary War against the British.  A statue of Lafayette stands in one of the corners of the Square.  But that is not why we are here.  We are to look at The White House.  Well after about 15 minutes I have looked enough so it is now time to go in search of souvenirs.  We have discovered The White House Souvenir Shop which is located about a 5 minute walk away.

Word of warning – if you want the typical touristy souvenirs do not buy from here – go to Honest Abe’s or any other shop as this shop charges like a wounded bull.

One good point I suppose is that if you spend $10 you can take photos of yourself at their White House Oval Office setup.  Very touristy but we throw ourselves into it – until another couple walk right in front of us and off they go snapping away.  This brings the staff to the fore to tell them no – you have to wait your turn as these people were before you.  Smiling we say it’s OK and we wait patiently until they trot away.

Here am I playing at being the Prez.  After the minimum amount of resolutions have been passed it is time to head for the Big Bus that will take us to our cruise.

Highlight of Part 1 – the Civil War display at Ford’s Theatre.