Recently I have been thinking about the states that made up the Northwest Territory, especially Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. It seems to me that the region’s shared values and institutions helped inform Lincoln’s growth over time.

Lincoln’s father, Thomas, was against slavery. That is one of the reasons he moved his family from Kentucky into Indiana. Lincoln had seen slavery; he thought slavery was wrong, but he initially wasn’t an abolitionist. His more moderate views were probably a result of living in Kentucky and southern Indiana until he was 21. When his family moved to central Illinois, it was there that the region’s strong anti-slavery positions influenced Lincoln’s belief that every man … black, white, immigrant … had the right to achieve what he could through persistence and hard work. And I think it was the region itself that provided the impetus for this change.

In thinking about immigration into the Northwest Territory, one need only consider the people who moved there. Some were soldiers who had been given land for their participation in wars. Some were second or third-born sons who, because of inheritance laws, needed to make their own way in the world. Some were immigrants. They packed up their families and moved to areas where they believed if they worked hard, they could bring the land to fruition and/or provide services for communities that grew in the region. Many did achieve success and felt others, African-Americans included, should and could do the same if given equal opportunity.

Once states were formed and communities were being established, these values were manifested in the formation of educational institutions. Leaders from the Northeast wanted to provide missionaries in the region and effect reforms on society. Religious educators established seminaries and colleges, and these institutions promoted the abolition of slavery. Lane Theological Seminary, Oberlin, Hiram, and Ohio Wesleyan colleges (all Ohio schools) had prominent roles in anti-slavery discussions. When Lane Theological Seminary (Cincinnati) refused to allow African-Americans to enroll as students in 1835, several white abolitionist students left for Oberlin College in the north-central part of Ohio. There, they helped influence the decision to allow African-Americans to enroll at Oberlin. Hiram College, then known as Western Reserve (Connecticut) Eclectic Institute, was in northeastern Ohio where anti-slavery sentiment was strong. And in Delaware, Ohio, home to Ohio Wesleyan, Frederick Douglass spoke about the evils of slavery. Closer to Lincoln’s home was Knox College in Galesburg, IL. Knox had indirect connections to Oberlin College, and was founded by social reformer George Washington Gale, a man strongly opposed to slavery.  As a state legislator, Lincoln had voted to grant Knox a charter in 1837.

With settlers’ propensity toward self-reliance, and anti-slavery sentiment espoused in colleges, the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Law, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act met great resistance in the region. Lincoln wouldn’t have missed any of those discussions in local and national newspapers. His positions had been forming and were being shaped by discussions in this region over many years, and in 1858, in front of Main Hall on Knox College Campus, it is no surprise that Lincoln, believing that all men had a right to personal success and equal opportunity, denounced slavery as a moral evil during his 5th debate with Stephen Douglas.

 Ms. Roberts is a Historical Interpreter at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

What is your favorite part of the holiday season? Is it your brightly decorated Christmas tree or the glowing candles of your menorah? Perhaps it is the thrill of ripping open your holiday gifts and feasting on decorated gingerbread men. For me, the best part of the holiday season are the traditions that have been passed down through my family from year to year, and getting to spend quality time with the people I love.

Engineers of the 8th N.Y. State Militia, 1861. No. Ill-B-499, Courtesy of the National Archives

Now, imagine not being able to have any of those things:

No tree or presents

No holiday feast

No time with your loved ones

It seems pretty disheartening to think of the holidays in those terms. Sadly, that is exactly how thousands of soldiers celebrated Christmas during the Civil War. President Lincoln, his wife Mary and their young son Tad were confronted with the gloominess and low morale of soldiers when they visited them in Washington hospitals. Consider how difficult it must have been for these men to spend their holiday away from home in an overcrowded hospital filled with the sick, wounded and dying.

Tad Lincoln may have been just a child, but the sweet little boy’s heart went out to the soldiers that he saw. After visiting wounded soldiers, Tad requested that his father send Christmas gifts to the men. Items such as clothing and reading materials were delivered to soldiers under the signature, “Tad Lincoln”. President Lincoln and his wife also donated money and sent items to soldiers in need[i].

Take a page from Tad Lincoln’s book this holiday season. Instead of spending money on expensive things that you do not really need, consider others who are less fortunate. It doesn’t take much—skip a week’s worth of trips to Starbucks and use the money to buy a toy for children in need. Donate canned goods to your local food bank. Even those of us on a budget can spare our pocket change for Salvation Army collection buckets.  Helping others is the quickest way to get in the Christmas spirit.

After all, isn’t giving more rewarding than receiving?  The Lincolns’ sure thought so.

Ms. Downes is a Historical Interpreter at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

© Son of the South Material

By Niles Anderegg 

Thomas Nast, perhaps the most famous of 19th Century political cartoonists, has left his mark on both American politics and popular culture.  It is because of Nast that we have the donkey and the elephants as symbols for the two major political parties in the United States, it is because of Nast that we have a goateed Uncle Sam, and it is because of Nast that we have the modern Santa Claus.

Santa Claus before Nast was a tall, thin man; it is Nast who made him the fat, jolly, bearded man that we have today. For Nast, Santa was something of a propaganda tool.  In his famous Christmas scene, which appeared in the January 3, 1863, issue of Harper’s Weekly, Santa, in his first appearance in a Nast cartoon, is shown entertaining Union troops by hanging Jeff Davis in effigy. But not all of Nast’s Christmas work was overt propaganda.  He also shows that even in the midst of the war, there was still some joy to be found in the Christmas holiday.  In the far background of this drawing, some soldiers are chasing what appears to be a wild boar, perfect for Christmas dinner, while others play games, including the time honored medieval sport of climbing atop a greased pole to claim a prize.  The drummer boys in the foreground, surprised by the jack in the box, tells us that children are in this war, too.  In other Christmas cartoons, he reminded readers of the harsh reality of Christmas during wartime, especially the separation of soldiers from their loved ones. Nast’s work in support of the Union cause was considered highly successful; in fact, it is said that even President Lincoln appreciated the artist’s work–he supposedly commented, “Thomas Nast has been our best recruiting sergeant. His emblematic cartoons have never failed to arouse enthusiasm and patriotism, and have always seemed to come just when these articles were getting scarce.”

Although Thomas Nast is most famous for his political cartoons, he also drew images of current events, such as Lincoln’s first inauguration in 1861, which we at President Lincoln’s Cottage have as part of our current special exhibit, The Seat of War.

Mr. Anderegg is a Historical Interpreter at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

"View of the Capitol, Showing the Present State of the Dome," Frank Leslie's Illustrated News, March 26, 1861

President Lincoln’s Cottage opened Seat of War: A Panoramic View of Civil War Washington Through Historic Prints early this month in the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center at the Cottage. This exhibit illuminates President Lincoln’s Civil War Washington through historic prints from our collection. It will run through the holidays and close on January 15, 2012.

The Cottage is a great place to visit with out of town family and guests! We will maintain our normal hours during the holidays (Mon-Sat: 9:30am-4:30pm; Sun: 10:30am-4:30pm) but we will be closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day. As always, be sure to check our website for updates, hours of operation, and other visitor information.

By George L. Wellman

Volunteers with the Wreaths Across America Organization stopped at the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery on Saturday morning, 10 December 2011.  They placed their allocation of wreaths at headstones in Sections D and G of the cemetery.  These sections are the final resting place for Union soldiers who died in 1862 and 1863 during the Civil War.   

The Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery is located at21 Harewood Road Northwest,Washington,DC.  Take a moment out of your holiday schedule and visit this historic cemetery.  The cemetery is within walking distance to President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home.

Mr. Wellman is a resident at the Soldiers’ Home.

In the fall edition, readers can preview two upcoming exhibits that will be on view in the Robert H. Smith Vistior Education Center at the Cottage. “Seat of War: A Panoramic View of Civil War Washington through Historic Prints” shows rarely seen prints from the Cottage collection. This exhibit is on view for just over a month from December 7, 2011 – January 15, 2012. “Can You Walk Away?” will take an indepth look at the state of slavery today, 150 years after all legal forms of slavery were abolished.

The Cottage 2012 ornament – “Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation” – is now on sale. This ornament commemorates the 1862 preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation, much of which was drafted at the Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home. This beautiful commemorative ornament features the 1957 painting “Abraham Lincoln Writing the Emancipation Proclamation” by Jes W. Schlaikjer. The 1862/2012 ornament is the second in the President Lincoln’s Cottage Sesquicentennial Series. Collect all five!

Readers also do not want to miss the history article Lincoln’s Other Proclamation: The Creation of the First Annual Thanksgiving Day Tradition by Zachary Klitzman.

Read the Cottage Courier HERE.

Every year around this time, I start to think of traditions. Every family has their own. This week as families and friends across the country gather to celebrate Thanksgiving together, I was inspired to start a new tradition with my family. Watching people scour the markets and grocery stores desperately trying to find the last ingredients for holiday dishes got me thinking, why not try something new? President Lincoln decided nearly 150 years ago to set aside the last Thursday of November for us to celebrate Thanksgiving. To show my gratitude, and to start a new tradition, I decided to make dinner this year with a little help from the Lincolns. If you’re looking for a new tradition or a new twist on a dish, why not make your Thanksgiving a Lincoln Family Thanksgiving? With a little culinary help from Donna D. McCreary’s Lincoln’s Table: A President’s Culinary Journey from Cabin to Cosmopolitan, we can share in the same fare as the Lincoln’s!

For a historic twist on your potatoes this Thanksgiving, try this recipe for Potatoes au Gratin:

Peel and boil about 2 pounds of white potatoes until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let them cool. Slice the potatoes into thick slices, or half-inch cubes.

Melt butter in saucepan over a low heat and add the other ingredients in the given order. Make sure to add the milk slowly so it doesn’t burn. Stir until its slightly thickened.

Butter a baking dish. Pour in a layer of sauce followed by a layer of potatoes. Continue until you’ve used all the ingredients.

Add a teaspoon of melted butter to a cup of sifted bread crumbs and mix. Spread the breadcrumbs on top of the potatoes and place in the oven for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

The absolute best part of my family’s Thanksgiving is dessert. Dessert in our family means chocolate. With this recipe for Chocolate Pie, I plan on being the most popular member at my family’s table.

For the Crust: Beat egg whites until you see soft peaks. Slowly add the other ingredients until you see stiff peaks. Gently spoon into your pie pan and bake for 1 hour at 275 degrees

For the Filling: Combine ingredients and beat for 20 minutes. Gently pour into the crust. Bake at 375 degrees for ten minutes and then pour on the hot fudge sauce

For the Sauce: Combine sugar and cocoa in a saucepan. Stir in evaporated milk and corn syrup. Cook over a medium heat, stirring consistently until it boils. Boil for 1 minute and then remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour over your pie (Save it and pour it over any other dessert your family has for Thanksgiving).

This year when your friends and family share what they are thankful for and raise their glasses in a toast, don’t be surprised if your recipes are mentioned. Have a very Happy (Lincoln) Thanksgiving!

Ms. Plunkett is a Historical Interpreter at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

Detail of the mural in the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center at President Lincoln's Cottage

By Niles Anderegg and Rebecca Downes

As we celebrate our veterans and remember those who are no longer with us, it is important to think about how we, as a country, have dealt with our veterans in the past. Veterans Day as a national holiday is a 20th century invention born out of the tragedy of the First World War. For Lincoln and his contemporaries there was no official place for veterans in American society. But that does not mean that Lincoln did not have interest in and interaction with some of America’s earliest veterans.

Then as now there were groups that supported our nation’s veterans, one such group was the Association of the Surviving Soldiers of the War of 1812. The New York tribune reported that Lincoln spoke to this group on the fourth of July 18621. The speech Lincoln gave to these veterans is not one of high oratory (its focus is on the support these men had shown for the war effort). It does show how Lincoln took time to address and meet with veterans.

Lincoln had the opportunity to meet veterans in an informal setting as well: his own backyard. The Soldiers’ Home was created by the Federal Government in 1851 as a residence for elderly and disabled veterans primarily of the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War. The Soldiers’ Home also served as a summer retreat for presidents and their families. The Lincoln’s lived at the Soldiers’ Home during the summer and early fall months of 1862, 1863 and 1864. While there is little documentation that has been found so far regarding interactions between the President and the veterans who lived at the Soldiers’ Home, one can assume that there was at least a passing acquaintance among them. As one anonymous resident recalled of President Lincoln, “he was very kind and familiar to all of us.” 2

Lincoln always had a strong sense of history and remembered the sacrifice of those who had come before him, as he famously mentioned in the Gettysburg Address. Also, the formal and informal encounters with soldiers of yesteryear show us that Lincoln had an appreciation for the sacrifice given by veterans during our nation’s earliest years. As we spend the day remembering the bravery and heroism of our 20th and 21st Century veterans, let us pause and, like Lincoln, consider the part these men played in helping to protect and create the America that we know today.

Mr. Anderegg and Ms. Downes are Historical Interpreters at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

1http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/lincoln5/1:678?rgn=div1;singlegenre=All;sort=occur;subview=detail;type=simple;view=fulltext;q1=veterans

2 Lincoln’s Sanctuary: Abraham Lincoln and the Soldiers’ Home. Matthew Pinsker. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Pp. 172.

President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward

President Lincoln’s Cottage and the Office of the Historian of the U.S. Department of State are hosting a public program to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS), the flagship publication of the Department’s Office of the Historian. Join Burrus Carnahan, noted Civil War and Lincoln author and scholar as he interviews Dr. Aaron Marrs, Civil War Researcher with the Office of the Historian, on Marrs’ new research that sheds light on foreign relations in the context of the Civil War.

Join us December 1, 2011 at 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Location: President Lincoln’s Cottage

Admission: FREE

Reservations are required – call (202) 829-0436 x31232 or email Sahand_Miraminy@nthp.org

By Rebecca Downes

It is a chilly and foreboding afternoon.  A host of withered brown leaves scratch and skitter across the pavement and crunch eerily underfoot. You walk slowly up to the looming old house and hesitantly turn the door knob. The front door swings open with a loud, echoing squeeeaaaakkkk. Dim lights flicker as you make your way through the house. The wooden floors creak and groan. Then, from the corner of your eye, you glimpse a shadowy figure on the far side of the room. You turn your head for a closer look—but whatever you saw has vanished. The hairs on the back of your neck raise as you consider the possibilities. Was it simply your imagination? Or did you just witness a ghostly visitor from the spirit world?

Fear not, history and museum buffs—this is not a promotion for the latest horror film; what it could be is your next visit to a historic home. Historic house museums are a fascinating way to experience the past, particularly in the days leading up to Halloween. According to ancient beliefs, October 31^st is the one day of the year when the veil between the spirit world and our own is lifted. For a brief period of time, the dead are given free rein to roam the earth and communicate with the living. A centuries-old historic house is the ideal setting for such an encounter.

Often large, creaky and a bit drafty, historic houses are a tangible reminder of the passage of time. These homes have borne witness to sorrows and joy, life and death. If spirits do exist, it seems logical to assume that many would return to the homes in which they resided and, perhaps, even died. For the living, knowledge of what happens to humans after death remains an unsolvable mystery. For those with faith, curiosity, and even hope that there is indeed life after death, historic homes remain the perfect backdrop to investigate and ponder one’s own beliefs.

President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home has played host throughout the years to many individuals who have been curious about the afterlife—the most notable being Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln.  Mary hosted a number of séances at the Cottage in hopes of reaching hear dear, deceased sons, Willie and Eddie.

Oral histories, folklore and urban legends document spooky encounters with ghostly apparitions and unexplained bumps in the night.  Here you can discover more information about Mary Lincoln’s attempts to communicate with the dead. Have you ever seen a ghost or witnessed something unexplainable while visiting a historic home or Civil War site? We’d love to hear about it. Document your own spooky encounters in the comment box below!

Ms. Downes is a Historical Interpreter at President Lincoln’s Cottage.