No truer words can be spoken.
A year or so ago, I wrote a Facebook post about this very thing. Erasing our history, like it didn’t exist. Today, that phrase above was very evident as Karen and I toured Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C.
As usual, or so it seems, when we plan to do anything touristy, the skies darken and the sun refuses to shine. And, it rains. We joke that it looks like we never change our clothes as all our pictures seem to show us wearing the same raincoats! Today, we decided to tour the Ford’s Theater. Yes, that Ford’s Theater. Where our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. We all learned about this in grade school. Back then, I didn’t think I’d ever visit this historic location. Today, I’m glad I had the opportunity to see yet another historic site, here in our nation’s capital.
“Abraham Lincoln was an American statesman and lawyer who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis. He preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government, and modernized the U.S. economy.”*
The timed-entry tour began at 11AM. We were a bit early, so we perused the gift shop. We headed down the stairs to the lower level where the museum is located. Here you can see the derringer, the bloody pillow and the suit, all involved in that fateful night. You can watch short movies about Lincoln and Douglas’s ongoing friendship. You can see tableaus and displays about Lincoln’s life. After viewing the museum, we located an elevator that took us to the balcony of the theater. Impressive! And no stairs to climb! After visiting the balcony, we headed down to orchestra level, where many gathered to hear a short live presentation on the events that led to the fateful night of Lincoln’s assassination. Next stop: Petersen House (included in tour ticket), where Lincoln was taken after the shooting and ultimately passed away the next morning. The line was long. The steps were many. And it was raining cats and dogs, so we declined to visit.
Off to lunch at Sfoglina’s for a taste of Italy. Yes, we do love our Italian food! We enjoyed a pasta sampling of Potato Gnocchi with Porcini Crema, Neapolitan Spaghetti “Aglio e Olio”, Mancini Paccheri Carbonara Style, Nonna Palmina’s Meatballs, Grilled Swordfish and Bomboloni’s with Chocolate Sauce for dessert. No calories counted here! More food than we needed but hey! We had a gift certificate to use! And, we brought some home so I don’t have to cook tomorrow!
So, at the end of the day, we got a little wet. Had a history lesson. And ate excellent Italian food. Not bad! Check out a few pictures in the gallery.
“We Cannot Escape History“
*Source: Wikipedia
Twenty Steps at a Time 