By Erin Carlson Mast
Starting with Willie Lincoln’s death in February 1862, Mary Lincoln began to engage in spirit circles. Spirit circles, or seances, were led by a medium who helped those gathered communicate with loved ones who had “crossed over.” Spirits communicated with the living by various means including sounds like rapping, scratching, and playing instruments and touches [...]
Posts Tagged as ‘Soldiers’ Home’
October 30, 2009
Mary Lincoln’s Seance at the Soldiers’ Home
October 13, 2009
An Argument for Moving the Cottage, 1903
By Erin Carlson Mast
The National Trust for Historic Preservation assumed stewardship of the Cottage in 2000, carefully restored it, and open it to the public in 2008. That act of saving the Cottage is now well documented and was carried out with the blessings of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, the campus in northwest Washington, D.C. where the [...]
July 11, 2009
Fort Stevens Day
Fort Stevens, a National Park Service site in the District, is hosting a day of events for the 145th Anniversary of the Battle of Fort Stevens including speakers, reenactments, and concerts.
According to the Fort Stevens website, events go from 10:00 AM—4:00 PM. For more details, visit their site online: http://www.nps.gov/rocr/planyourvisit/ftstevensday.htm.*
Did you know?
Fort Stevens is closely connected [...]
May 26, 2009
1950s Painting Depicts Lincoln Writing Emancipation Proclamation at Soldiers’ Home
By Erin A. C. Mast
Jes W. Schlaikjer was an official artist for the U.S. government and well known painter of portraits and historic scenes in the mid 1900s. A great admirer of Abraham Lincoln, Schlaikjer determined to paint a historical scene of Lincoln toiling on the Emancipation Proclamation one evening in September 1862 at the [...]
May 22, 2009
This Weekend in Lincoln History
By Erin Carlson Mast
Memorial Day is a time to gather with friends and family, and to remember our fellow citizens, past and present, who served this country through military service. At President Lincoln’s Cottage, we know we’ll have a great weekend with some good weather, and visitors anxious to learn about Lincoln’s presidency, his time [...]
March 16, 2009
Garfield Enjoyed Soldiers’ Home Grounds
By Erin Carlson Mast
President Lincoln’s Cottage was declared a National Monument in 2000 in recognition of Lincoln’s time there and the important decisions he made regarding emancipation and the war, but Lincoln was not the only President to spend time at the Soldiers’ Home.
Four presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, are believed to have lived at the [...]
March 6, 2009
Lincoln’s Personal Physician
By George Wellman
President Abraham Lincoln’s personal physician is buried in the Rock Creek Church Cemetery. Doctor Robert King Stone (1822-1872) is buried in the Stone family mausoleum just one block north from the Lincoln Cottage. He is among over 100,000 buried in the oldest cemetery in Washington, DC. The family mausoleum is located in Section [...]
March 5, 2009
Rare Stereoview of President Lincoln’s Cottage
Erin Carlson Mast
Original images of President Lincoln’s Cottage from the Civil War period are rare. Over five years of research before and during restoration yielded only a couple handfuls of prints, drawings, photographs, and lithographs of the Cottage that date to around the 1860s.
Two months ago, Col. and Mrs. Gary Vroegindewey donated several cartes de visites and other [...]
February 25, 2009
Lincoln’s Commute Website Launched
By Erin Carlson Mast
While President Lincoln lived at the Soldiers’ Home with his family, he often commuted to the White House and other locations in downtown Washington, returning each night to the Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home. First hand accounts tell us about the many people and places Lincoln passed along his commute, including the [...]
February 12, 2009
Happy 200th Birthday Lincoln!
Today we celebrated Lincoln’s 200th birthday, with a dedication of the new Lincoln sculpture on the ellipse in front of the Cottage and the opening of a new special exhibit, “My Abraham Lincoln,” which features a cross-section of Lincolniana including original manuscripts, art, and pop culture from 6 private collections.
View the event photo album here:
