Lincoln's Cottage Offers Rare Glimpse Into President's Life

President Lincoln in 1862 - one of Washington's first commuters

There’s a house on a hill only three miles from the White House that can bring people closer to feeling what it must have been like to be the 16^th President of the United States as he struggled with decisions to preserve the Union, mourned the death of a son and attempted to escape the heat and pressure of war time Washington.

There are places to visit where important things happened; where actions of great men and women changed the world; and where what people of destiny felt, saw and endured at pivotal moments in history can be mentally conjured merely my occupying the same space that they once did.  President Lincoln’s Cottage is one of those special places.

I have been a frequent visitor to our Nation’s Capital for more than 30 years and I once lived there for the biggest part of a decade where I played softball in the shadow of the Washington Monument, walked the Halls of the US Capitol and explored the obvious sites throughout the historic city. In all that time and wandering, I was never aware that a green tranquil place known as President Lincoln’s Cottage existed on the grounds of a beautiful enclave that, since the early 18^th Century, served as a home for America’s retired soldiers.

I became aware of the site when I read a wonderful book by David Von Drehle  called Rise to Greatness, Abraham Lincoln and America’s Most Perilous Year. The author focused on the year 1862 and the truly nightmarish events that befell both Lincoln and the country in the darkest hours of the Civil War. Key battlefield losses, the threat of foreign intervention, a Native American uprising in the West, the loss of his son Willie to typhoid fever, skittish military leaders who lacked the aggressiveness to win, strained politics with traditional opponents and abolitionists alike, and the borderline nefarious spending and flaky behavior of the First Lady were just a few of the issues that worked on Lincoln in that difficult year. 

As Drehle explained, Lincoln found relief from the stifling heat of Washington and the constant stream of visitors seeking his help in a Gothic Revival house built in 1851 on the grounds of a facility established by the government to house retired and disabled veterans.  In that house, Lincoln, his wife Nancy Todd Lincoln and young son Tad lived for about one third of his presidency. 

At the cottage, he read the Bible and Shakespeare, played checkers with soldiers on cottage’s front porch, enjoyed the cool breezes that the site provided and devoted time giving thought to the problems of preserving the Union.  It was at the cottage that he did the lion’s share of work on the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln still worked at the White House. Every morning he would mount his horse and make the three-mile journey to the seat of power, often alone. The ride provided him with first-hand observations of the war’s impact on the multitudes that crammed into Washington City during the conflict.

                  The Cottage

He last visited the cottage the day before he was assassinated. After that, the cottage was used for a variety of purposes like offices and even a tavern at one point.  In 2000 the National Trust for Historic Places and the Armed Services Retirement Home joined to reopen the house and stripped away years of abuse and neglect to bring it back to the way it was in Lincoln’s day.

Except for a reproduction of a desk, a few period chairs scattered about the rooms and a dark wood paneled meeting room with a massive dark conference table and chairs, there is little in the cottage today. But, that’s okay.  The sparse furnishings give you an enhanced feeling for the house and its occupants of 150 years ago. You ascend to the second floor using the same handrail that Lincoln used and stand in his massive bedroom where he is said to have worked on the Emancipation Proclamation.

The tour guide was smooth and personable and used a remote controlled audio program to play talks by a Lincoln by an impersonator who sounded just as described in Von Drehle’s book.  In a separate building, there is a gift shop, a display room with more details about Lincoln and his time at the cottage and a room with computers where visitors can access touch screen presentations about the President, his “team of rivals” and his tumultuous times.

              The Grounds

A huge marble-like structure that has a castle-like quality stands next to the cottage and was there in Lincoln’s time. It housed retired soldiers, many of whom were invited to share evening chats with the President on the cottage’s front porch.  There is a veterans cemetery in the foreground of the view of Washington from the cottage grounds. It was there 150 years ago and its rapid expansion was a frequent reminder to Lincoln of the cost of the war.

Outside, at a location where, no doubt, Lincoln mounted his horse for his daily commute is a bronze statue of the President and his horse.  The guides explain that it is an accurate portrayal because Lincoln’s own clothing was measured and used by the sculptor to create the image.

The admission fee is nominal, the grounds are beautiful and the history lessons are invaluable. You will need help from Siri, Google Maps or some other source to help you find the cottage but it is worth the trip for folks looking for something a little different from the standard memorials, museums and sites that Washington has to offer.

If you are lucky and have an appreciation for history and a vivid imagination you may feel the burdens Lincoln felt as the guide talks you through this obscure but striking site.  And, don’t forget to check out Von Drehl’s book.