President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument
Location in District of Columbia
President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Area | 2.3 acres (9,300 m2) |
| Established | July 7, 2000 |
| Governing body | Armed Forces Retirement Home-Washington, President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home (501c3) |
| Website | President Lincoln's Cottage |
President Lincoln's Cottage is a special historic house. It was used by Abraham Lincoln as a summer home. The cottage is located on the grounds of what is now called the Armed Forces Retirement Home. This area is near the Petworth neighborhood in Washington, D.C..
In the year 2000, this important place was named a national monument. Its full name is President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument.
President Abraham Lincoln and his family stayed here during the warmer months. They came to escape the heat and busy life of downtown Washington. Other presidents, like James Buchanan (1857–1861), also used this spot. Later, President Lincoln's Cottage served as a summer home for Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881) and Chester A. Arthur (1881–1885).
Contents
History of Lincoln's Summer Home
The historic cottage was built between 1842 and 1843. It was designed in the Gothic revival style, which was popular at the time. The first owner was George Washington Riggs, who later started the famous Riggs National Bank in Washington, D.C.
Lincoln's Time at the Cottage
Abraham Lincoln lived in the cottage from June to November each year, from 1862 to 1864. During his first summer there, Lincoln worked on a very important document. He wrote the first version of the Emancipation Proclamation at this cottage. This document declared many enslaved people free.
Mary Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln's wife, loved the place. In 1865, she wrote about how much she cherished the Soldiers' Home grounds.
Walt Whitman's Observations
The famous poet Walt Whitman lived in Washington, D.C., in 1863. He often saw President Lincoln riding his horse to or from the Soldiers' Home. Whitman wrote about seeing the President. He described Lincoln as riding an "easy-going gray horse" and wearing simple, dark clothes. Whitman noted Lincoln's "dark brown face" and eyes that seemed to hold a "deep latent sadness."
Whitman later added that he and Lincoln would often exchange friendly bows.
Later Names and Recognition
In 1889, the cottage was named Anderson Cottage. This was in honor of Brevet Major General Robert Anderson. He was one of the people who helped create the Soldiers' Home.
The Soldiers' Home property covers about 251 acres (1.02 km2). It sits on one of the highest points in Washington, D.C. The Home was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1973. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
In 2000, the cottage was listed as one of America's Most Endangered Places. This list is created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Later that year, on July 7, 2000, President Bill Clinton declared about 2.3 acres (9,300 m2) of the Home a National Monument.
Restoration and Public Opening
The National Trust for Historic Preservation took on the job of restoring the cottage. The restoration work was finished in 2007. The outside of the cottage was made to look just as it did when Lincoln lived there in the 1860s. This was done following strict rules from the National Park Service.
Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation manages the property. They work with the Armed Forces Retirement Home. President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home is a charity that helps run the site.
President Lincoln's Cottage opened to the public on February 18, 2008. A special desk was made for the cottage. It is a copy of the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. The original desk is in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House. This desk is the only piece of furniture known to have been in both the White House and the cottage during Lincoln's time.
Visitor Education Center
Next to the cottage is the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center. This center has exhibits about the Soldiers' Home and what Washington, D.C., was like during the Civil War. There are also displays about Lincoln's role as Commander-in-Chief. A special gallery features changing exhibits.
President Lincoln's Cottage and the Visitor Education Center are usually open for tours every day of the week.
Images for kids
-
Rear of the Cottage, September 2018
-
Statue of Lincoln in front of the Cottage, September 2018
More to Explore
- List of residences of presidents of the United States
- 150th Pennsylvania Infantry
- United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery
