President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument |
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 President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument
Location in District of Columbia
President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument
Location in the United States
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| 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 in Washington, D.C.. It was used by Abraham Lincoln and his family as a summer home. They stayed here to escape the heat and stress of downtown Washington during the American Civil War.
Other presidents, like James Buchanan, Rutherford B. Hayes, and Chester A. Arthur, also used this home. In 2000, it became a national monument called President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument.
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 a famous bank.
Lincoln's Time at the Cottage
President Lincoln and his family lived in the cottage from June to November each year. They stayed there from 1862 to 1864. It was a quieter place for Lincoln to work and think. During his first summer there, Lincoln wrote the first ideas for the Emancipation Proclamation. This important document declared many enslaved people free. Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, loved their time at the Soldiers' Home. She later wrote about how much she cherished it.
Walt Whitman's Observations
The famous poet Walt Whitman lived in Washington, D.C., during the Civil War. He often saw President Lincoln riding his horse to or from the cottage. Whitman wrote about how ordinary Lincoln looked in his simple clothes. He also noticed a "deep latent sadness" in Lincoln's eyes. Whitman said that he and Lincoln would often wave to each other.
Becoming a National Monument
The Soldiers' Home property covers about 251 acres (1.02 km2). It sits on one of the highest points in Washington. In 1889, the cottage was named Anderson Cottage. This honored Brevet Major General Robert Anderson, who helped create the Soldiers' Home.
The Soldiers' 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 almost lost, making it onto a list of "Most Endangered Places." But then, President Bill Clinton declared about 2.3 acres (9,300 m2) of the property a U.S. National Monument.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation helped restore the cottage. The outside of the cottage was carefully repaired to look like it did when Lincoln lived there. This work was finished in 2007.
Visiting the Cottage Today
President Lincoln's Cottage opened to the public on February 18, 2008. Visitors can see a copy of the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. The original desk is in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House. It is the only piece of furniture known to have been in both the White House and the cottage during Lincoln's time.
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. It also explores Lincoln's role as Commander-in-Chief. You can usually visit President Lincoln's Cottage and the Visitor Education Center for tours every day.
Gallery
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Rear of the Cottage, September 2018
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Statue of Lincoln in front of the Cottage, September 2018
See also
- List of residences of presidents of the United States
- 150th Pennsylvania Infantry
- United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery
