April 11, 2008

“In Pursuit of Emancipation” Exhibit Ends April 30th

By Erin Carlson Mast

“If my name ever goes into history, it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it.”
-Abraham Lincoln

The inaugural special exhibit, In Pursuit of Emancipation: Documenting Lincoln’s Decision to Proclaim Freedom, at President Lincoln’s Cottage, ends April 30th, 2008.  The exhibit opened to the public as part of the Grand Opening Ceremony on February 18th.

In Pursuit of Emancipation Special Exhibit.

This exhibition features over a dozen manuscripts and artifacts on loan from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, The Massachusetts Historical Society, and The National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution. The show looks at the evolution of Lincoln’s policy of emancipation from compensated, gradual emancipation with voluntary colonization, to an amendment abolishing slavery, as well as reactions and consequences of his policies. Highlights of the exhibit include a rare copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln, the ink set he used in drafting the proclamation, and the pen he used to sign the proclamation.

In Pursuit of Emancipation Special Exhibit.

Visitors to President Lincoln’s Cottage can enjoy the special exhibit up until it closes at the end of this month.

EXHIBITION DETAILS:
In Pursuit of Emancipation: Documenting Lincoln’s Decision to Proclaim Freedom
Open to the public: February 19, 2008 – April 30, 2008
Location: Special Exhibit Gallery in the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center
President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home
Visitor Center Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9:30am-5:30pm; Sunday, 11:30am-5:30pm

For visitor information, hours, and how to purchase tickets visit the website: www.lincolncottage.org

Ms. Erin Mast is Curator at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

April 10, 2008

Lincoln Cottage in the Morning Fog

By Erin Carlson Mast

This is a photo of President Lincoln’s Cottage shrouded in fog around 8:30am this morning.  The Sherman Tower (known as Scott Tower in Lincoln’s time) is barely visible in the background.

President Lincoln's Cottage on a foggy morning in April.  The Sherman Tower is visible in the background.

Ms. Erin Mast is Curator at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

April 9, 2008

Update: Tours on the Half Hour

By Erin Carlson Mast

Due to overwhelming demand, we added tours starting on the half hour this past weekend, almost doubling the number of tours available each day.  All tours Saturday and Sunday were sold out. 

In response to this success, we have added tours beginning on the half hour this coming weekend, April 11th and 12th, and next weekend, April 19th and 20th.  Tickets for all tours are available for purchase on our website through ETIX. http://www.lincolncottage.org/visit/tickets.htm

All tours are guided and last approximately 1 hour start to finish. All tours still occur during regular tour operating hours:

Saturday
First Tour: 10am (Second Tour: 10:30am)
Last Tour: 4pm

Sunday
First Tour: 12pm (Second Tour: 12:30pm)
Last Tour: 4pm

Please note that adding tours means scheduling additional Interpreters to be on site that day, thus we will continue to add tours starting on the half hour based on both demand and staff availability.

The southern elevation of President Lincoln's Cottage in early April 2008.

For up-to-date tour availability visit our website: http://www.lincolncottage.org/visit/index.htm

Ms. Erin Mast is Curator at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

April 8, 2008

Tip of the Week: Visiting USSAH National Cemetery

While you are in this part of the city visiting President Lincoln’s Cottage, we encourage you to see some of the nearby attractions such as Fort Stevens and the US Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home (USSAH) National Cemetery.  USSAH National Cemetery is located on nearby Harewood Road NW, is easy to get to, and has a direct connection to the Lincoln story.  The site became the first National Cemetery during the Civil War and is the predecessor of Arlington National Cemetery. 

Civil War graves at the USSAH National Cemetery.
 
Today, the USSAH National Cemetery is managed by Arlington National Cemetery under the Department of the Army.  Originally the land was managed by the Soldiers’ Home (now known as the Armed Forces Retirement Home or AFRH) and offered as a cemetery for Civil War soldiers.  Between 1861 and 1864, thousands of soldiers were buried on the land, a mere 100 feet away from the Cottage.  Indeed, living here brought Lincoln closer to the human cost of the war.

To get to the USSAH National Cemetery from President Lincoln’s Cottage today, you may walk, bike, or drive out Eagle Gate, which is the only entrance/exit to the AFRH campus.  Turn right on Rock Creek Church Road NW.  Cross Harewood Road NW and turn right down Harewood.  The Cemetery entrance is down a few feet on your left.   The Civil War graves are on your right as you enter the cemetery. 

 

April 2, 2008

Tours Added on the Half Hour

By Erin Carlson Mast

Due to high demand on weekends, we have decided to add tours on the half hour on select weekend dates in April.   Tickets for all tours are available for purchase on our website through ETIX.  http://www.lincolncottage.org/visit/tickets.htm

April 5th andApril 6th are the first two dates to officially feature tours on the hour and half-hour.  All tours are guided and last approximately 1 hour start to finish.  All tours occur during regular tour operating hours:

Saturday
First Tour: 10am (Second Tour: 10:30am)
Last Tour: 4pm

Sunday
First Tour: 12pm (Second Tour: 12:30pm)
Last Tour: 4pm

Please note that adding tours means scheduling additional Interpreters to be on site that day, thus we will only add tours starting on the half hour based on demand and staff availability.  

The west elevation of President Lincoln's Cottage in early April 2008.

For up-to-date tour availability visit our website: http://www.lincolncottage.org/visit/index.htm

Ms. Erin Mast is Curator at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

April 1, 2008

Summer Hours Begin Today

By Erin Carlson Mast

Today begins ”summer” hours at President Lincoln’s Cottage.   The Visitor Education Center is now open an hour later every day of the week and there is an additional tour everyday at 4pm.

Summer hours are in effect from April Fool’s Day through Halloween–no foolin’.  For details, see below.

The north elevation of President Lincoln's Cottage, as seen from the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center.

Summer Hours (April 1st – October 31st)

Monday- Saturday
Cottage Tours: 10 AM - 4 PM, on the hour
Visitor Education Center: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Sunday
Cottage Tours: 12 Noon- 4 PM, on the hour
Visitor Education Center: 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM

To plan your visit, look at our website: http://www.lincolncottage.org/visit/index.htm 

Ms. Erin Mast is Curator at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

March 31, 2008

Mo Rocca’s Visit to President Lincoln’s Cottage

By Erin Carlson Mast

Mo Rocca, correspondent for The Daily Show, visited President Lincoln’s Cottage Easter weekend (recognized quickly by all Daily Show devoted staff), and later wrote about his experience on his blog: Mo Rocca 180.

Rocca offers his reader candid comments about his entire experience from the tour guide, Shira Gladstone, to the stories we tell our visitors.  

Read his full story here: http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2008/03/28/visit-lincolns-cottage/

Ms. Erin Mast is Curator at President Lincoln’s Cottage

March 27, 2008

Tip of the Week: Where to Eat?

The Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center Museum Store has a small cafe with some packaged snacks and beverages.  If you are planning to visit the site and want to find a place to have a full meal afterwards, there are many options in walking distance or just a short drive or metro ride away.

There are several restaurants along Upshur Street NW, which starts just outside the Soldiers’ Home campus and heads west.  The site is also only a couple miles from the newly revitalized Columbia Heights neighborhood, which includes several restaurant options in the area around 14th Street NW between Kenyon Street NW and Park Road NW. 

Columbia Heights is Metro accessible and is one stop away from Georgia Avenue/Petworth, the closest metro station to President Lincoln’s Cottage (1 mile to the west).  You can also use the METRO Trip Planner to find rail or bus directions to your destination of choice. 

Bon Appetite!

March 23, 2008

Tip of the Week: Public Transit and Driving Directions

Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation, bike, and/or walk to the site.  The closest metro station is Georgia Avenue/Petworth (Green & Yellow lines) approximately 1 mile from the Eagle Gate entrance to the Armed Forces Retirement Home campus, on which President Lincoln’s Cottage is located.

For more information on taking the metro or bus to the site, or for detailed driving directions, see the “DIRECTIONS” page under the “VISIT” section of our website.

http://www.lincolncottage.org/visit/directions.htm

We rent a parking lot from the Armed Forces Retirement Home for our visitors’ use while visiting the Cottage.   There is no charge to visitors for parking.  The AFRH security guards can point you in the direction of the parking lot.  Signs identify the parking lot and direct you back to the Visitor Education Center where all tours begin.

March 18, 2008

“We Could Feel Lincoln’s Presence”

By Erin Carlson Mast
With contributions from Allan Gurganus and Adam Goodheart

Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, recently forwarded messages he received from Allan Gurganus and Adam Goodheart regarding the preservation work and tour at President Lincoln’s Cottage.  Both gentlemen agreed to let us share their comments with our readers.

 The first contribution comes from Allan Gurganus, author of the New York Times bestselling novel Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All:

I have long been an admirer of your work. Your kindness in getting Adam Goodheart and I into the Soldiers’ Home confirms my admiration, my awe. I’ve never felt physically closer to Lincoln than I did in those rooms.  It’s as if, off-duty however briefly, he adamantly shed the burdens of state and—doing so—-left huge amounts of himself in that pastoral and homey setting. Our guide seemed so alive to the importance of the house and her privilege in revealing it.

Thank you for all you have saved and revealed.

The second testimonial was sent by Adam Goodheart, Hodson Trust-Griswold Director, C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College:

I visited Lincoln’s Cottage on Saturday morning with Allan Gurganus…we were both deeply moved by the experience. It was a drizzly and gray morning - Civil War weather - and we could feel Lincoln’s presence in those rooms. The interpretation, the guide, etc. were all splendid as well.  You have truly created a national monument there - all the more remarkable for having been hidden in plain sight for so long - and thank you for making it possible for us to experience it.

The current tour was informed in part by focus groups and formative evaluations conducted while the tour was in development.  We are currently creating an official visitor feedback survey so that visitors have a framework for submitting comments about their visit.  We’ll use the comments to evaluate the current visitor experience and determine what changes can and should be made to improve the experience for future visitors.

Ms. Erin Mast is Curator at President Lincoln’s Cottage.
Special thanks to Adam Goodheart and Allan Gurganus for allowing us to publish their comments.

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