#13 Lincoln's Cottage

 

Front of Lincoln's Cottage

My parents came up for a visit in July! To take full advantage of having their car, we did some more out of the way DC sights one steamy morning. We started at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens for peak bloom of the lotuses, stopped by the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, and then finished with a guided tour of Lincoln's Cottage.

The tour guide was my doppelgänger!

The "Cottage" was originally a private home that was then repurposed for officer's quarters when the are became a Soldier's Retirement Home. Just 3mi north of DC, the area was still farmland in the Civil War Era. Presidents were invited to use the cottage as a retreat, particularly in the summer where the higher elevation allowed them to escape swampy DC.

Visitor's Center mural

Lincoln ended up staying in the Cottage for over a quarter of his Presidency. He enjoyed mingling with the soldiers and talking to the regular people he passed on his commute to the White House. He also drafted the Emancipation Proclamation here!

Statue of Lincoln in front of the Cottage

Item 13 Completed 7/11/21
32/50 items complete = 64%