Mother's Day

For Mother's Day I wanted to go on a picnic, but Maryland weather didn't co-operate. So I thought we could just go for a walk someplace. Jeff suggested walking around in DC. On our drive there my history wheels were cranking. I thought and thought and finally had an idea. Ford's theatre where President Lincoln was killed. But then we remembered it is closed for restoration. We were pretty sure the house across the street where the President actually died might be open. Yeah!!! It was open. So the history lesson this time is President Lincoln's death for those non-history buffs who don't already know the story.

I am going to assume you know who President Lincoln was and what he looked like. (If you don't.. Well I won't even go there). What is interesting to me is the time frames. The Civil War officially started on April 15, 1861. Almost exactly 4 years later on April 9, 1865 Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S Grant. The war was over. One week later on April 14, President Lincoln attended a play at the Ford's Theatre. (Ford's Theatre is located only a few blocks from the White house and Capital.) At approximately 10 PM, having finished two snifters of brandy at a nearby bar, John Wilkes Booth, a handsome actor and well known to the theatre staff, walked into Ford's theatre and had a friendly chat with the ticket taker who allowed him to enter as a professional courtesy. Around 10:15, during the third act of the play, Booth approached Lincoln's box, which was guarded only by a White House footman. The footman allowed him to enter. Some people speculate because it was a government conspiracy and the footman was in on it while the most popular believe was because Wilkes was well known and well liked in the theatre and the footman saw no harm. At any rate, Wilkes quietly slipped behind Lincoln and shot the president in the back of the head. Wilkes then jumps down from the box onto the stage, breaking his leg and escapes. (14 days later he was found and killed). A doctor in the audience attends to the President. The doctor does not think he has more than 10 minutes to live so they must find someplace close to take him. (Had they known he was going to live for 9 more hours they would have taken him to the White House to die). They run outside with him not really knowing yet where to take him when a boarder in the house across the street hollers to bring him inside.

This is the front of the Peterson home

Once you walk up the stairs and enter the door there is a hallway leading to a back bedroom. That is where Lincoln was taken. On the left of the hallway is a long parlor. The front part of the parlor is where Lincoln's wife (Mary Todd Lincoln) stayed for most of the 9 hours while Lincoln was dying. She was so distraught she couldn't be in the same room as Lincoln.

At the other end of the parlor is where most of the doctor, senators, and other government officials congregated.

This is the room where President Lincoln died at 7:22 on April 15, 1865. Exactly 4 years to the day of the start of the Civil War. I did not get to hear about the furnishings in the house so I do not know if they are original or not. I do know this is not the bed Lincoln died on. That is in Chicago. The bed is just like it though. Since Lincoln was so tall he had to lie diagonal.

I have attached a link that explains more about the actual house.

When we came out of the house it was raining. (Of course it always rains when we are in DC). We decided to go to a Smithsonian Museum. The only one that was close by that we haven't been to was the Natural History. The museum is full of stuffed animals and fossils. We weren't too thrilled, but continued to walk around. After a couple of hours walking around we decided we would go into one more exhibit. We all voted for the mineral and gems exhibit. This exhibit actually ended up being our favorite. Who knew rocks could be so fascinating. We were very tired and the museum was about to close to we didn't spend the time we wanted to. So yes you guessed it. We will have to go back again!!!! I don't think we have been to a place yet that we don't want to go back. Here are a few pictures of the museum

This was some kind of rock or mineral. It was very interesting to say the least.

Since it is always raining here we have now upgraded our stroller covering. The first time we were out in the rain we covered the stroller with a blanket that got absolutely soaked. The next time Austin was the true boy scout so we covered the stroller with his poncho. We have now upgraded to a rain cover just for strollers. Yeah!! Score one for the parents.

The only bad thing was we noticed Caitlynn's feet get wet. Upon noticing this we noticed Mom put Caitlynn's shoes on the wrong feet. Boo!!! Subtract a zillion points for the Mom.

Ashlie had to work so we decided to have Mother's Day dinner at Famous Daves so I could actually see Ashlie. She is a hostess and really enjoys her job.

It turned out to be a wonderful Day. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family