For the President Lincoln’s Cottage official website, go to www.lincolncottage.org
Welcome to the official web log for President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home, a National Trust Historic Site, a private, non-profit organization. The Cottage, located in Washington, DC, is the most significant historic site directly associated with Lincoln’s presidency aside from the White House.
During the Civil War, Lincoln resided seasonally at the Soldiers’ Home, just over three miles north of the Capitol. He lived at the Soldiers’ Home for a quarter of his presidency. Here he thought through the course of the war, re-election, and emancipation.
For information about visiting President Lincoln’s Cottage, please visit our website: www.lincolncottage.org
The purpose of this weblog is to inform the public on news related to President Lincoln’s Cottage. This weblog is also meant to be a place of open discussion about Lincoln’s presidency, preservation and interpretation at President Lincoln’s Cottage, and related issues. The blog will feature regular updates on the site’s preservation and future exhibits, and provide photos, videos and podcasts for the public to enjoy.
President Lincoln's Cottage Blog 
I’m sure Pres. Lincoln played checkers…and he would have set up the board in the Cottge in the correct orientation of “white on right,” which means the bottom right corner square for both players is white. Brewer’s Rule says half of all checker/chess boards in movies, TV, and museums, are mistakenly set up. (I called this same error in to the Clinton Presidential Library)
Otherwise….great work.
The game table at President Lincoln’s Cottage is an exact replica of a mid-19th century game table at the Athenaeum in Philadelphia.
There is no white square on the bottom right corner for either side, only black. Nineteenth century game tables vary a great deal in terms of color and whether the bottom right square is white, black, red, yellow, etc.
Rathering than setting up a table for draughts, we followed the layout of checkers as it is commonly set-up here despite the square colors being reversed.
Thanks!
i would like reservations for 6 on sunday. how do i make them as you do not have a phone number? can i just show up?
thanks
Hi Miriam,
I think you’re looking for our website: http://www.lincolncottage.org. There you can find all the pertinent information about booking tickets in advance. Note that tours this Friday-Sunday (March 21-23) are already sold-out. All of our phone numbers are also listed on the website.
For information on just “showing up” see last week’s “Tip of the Week” about walk-up tickets. Walk-up tickets are very limited, available on-site only the day of the tour, and go quickly. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Reserving well in advance is still your best bet for guaranteeing space on a tour! https://lincolncottage.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/tip-of-the-week-walk-up-tickets/
Thank you.
Dear Sir,
My great grandfather was an Episcopal minister and may have been a chaplain at the Soldiers’ Home in 1872-1875. Is there an archive at your establishment that might hold information on him? See entry for this period at the following URL:
http://web.mac.com/weh8/Genealogy/J.M.E._MCKEE.html.
Dear Dr. Howard:
First, please note that we are a separate entity from the Soldiers’ Home (now known as the Armed Forces Retirement Home or AFRH). The AFRH is a federal agency. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit that stewards the President Lincoln’s Cottage by agreement with the AFRH.
As such, we do not control the administrative archives for the AFRH. Since they are a federal agency, their records are housed at the National Archives and Records Administration. http://www.archives.gov/.
Your best bet to find information on your great-grandfather’s service at the AFRH (Soldiers’ Home) would be in Record Group 231 at the National Archives.
All the best!
I visited the DC Lincoln Memorial, President Lincoln’s Cottage, and Gettysburg this past July 1, 2008. At all three locations, I asked the employees, “Do you know why Lincoln used the phrase ‘4 score & 7 years ago’?” I then informed them that not only was it Biblical, but the first time it comes up in the Bible is in the story of Abraham. In Genesis 16:16* (King James Version), Abram is “4 score & 6 years old” when he impregnates Hagar (with Ishmael). In the next chapter, God tells Abram, “You’re it!” (paraphrasing) and to mark the occasion, you will now be called ‘Abraham’ (Gn 17:4-5). 4/7 is also 4th of July.
*1600 Pennsylvania Av. and Lincoln was the 16th president.
Here’s a fun educational video pod cast for kids about the new Lincoln penny.
Join ten-year old Amanda as she visits the Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado to learn about coin collecting.
Have campaign ribbon which reads for president abraham lincoln for vice president hannibal hamlin indianian & commercial print. Beardless portrait of lincoln, to righthand bottom of portrait is childs sc. Am from Indiana and wondering should donate to lincoln museum in Illinois? Found one close to it sold for 2000.00 at auction. Is currently in family set of civil war books from 1863 & 1865. Any suggestions or ideas appreciated
Dear Mr. Yanke,
There are several Lincoln and history museums and sites across the country (including our site, President Lincoln’s Cottage here in Washington, D.C.!) that collect Lincolniana. If your comment on donating to Illinois is indicative of a desire to keep the collection closer to where you live, however, why not first consider one of the marvelous museums or public institutions in your home state of Indiana? The Indiana Historical Society has a fine collection of Lincolniana (with an emphasis on items like photographs and prints), and do a tremendous job of making their collection available online as well as on site. Also, though the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, IN closed its doors, their extensive Lincoln collection remains intact and is shared by the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis and Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. You might consider either of those insitutions as a potential new home for your Lincoln items as well.
Best regards,
Erin Mast, Curator, President Lincoln’s Cottage
I am visiting DC on Oct 11-Oct 14 I was wondering if it is necessary to make a reservation to visit the Lincoln Cottage during this period. I would be available to tour on Oct 13. Thank you.
Claire – we do strongly recommend that visitors reserve their tickets in advance. You may do so through our website – http://www.lincolncottage.org. We look forward to seeing you next week!
Thank you for your quick response. I will make reservation soon. I was born on Feb 12 and is a great fan of lincoln. I have visited Springfield,Il and his boyhood home in Indiania. Looking forward to learning more about a great man and President.