One of the most well-known tourist sites in Washington DC is Ford’s Theater, where Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot on Good Friday, April 14, 1865. Many visitors have toured this spot where violence struck down the President just as the Civil War was ending.
On this tour, we will trace the history of Presidential assassination attempts in Washington, which are far more numerous than most visitors realize.
We will begin our tour with breakfast at the Willard Hotel, where President-elect and Mrs. Lincoln stayed upon their arrival in the city in 1861. Over breakfast, you will learn about the many historic associations of the hotel and hear the story of Lincoln’s travel to Washington from Springfield, Illinois. At that time, the nation was riven by pre-war threats of secession and rumors of attempts on the President-elect’s life. Although still debated whether there really was a plot on the life of Lincoln, his advisors thought so and took aggressive action to protect him. Lincoln was publicly ridiculed by his enemies for his caution, which may have contributed to his decisions later in his Presidency to visit troops and put himself in harm’s way as a show of physical courage.
On this tour, we will trace the history of Presidential assassination attempts in Washington, which are far more numerous than most visitors realize.
We will begin our tour with breakfast at the Willard Hotel, where President-elect and Mrs. Lincoln stayed upon their arrival in the city in 1861. Over breakfast, you will learn about the many historic associations of the hotel and hear the story of Lincoln’s travel to Washington from Springfield, Illinois. At that time, the nation was riven by pre-war threats of secession and rumors of attempts on the President-elect’s life. Although still debated whether there really was a plot on the life of Lincoln, his advisors thought so and took aggressive action to protect him. Lincoln was publicly ridiculed by his enemies for his caution, which may have contributed to his decisions later in his Presidency to visit troops and put himself in harm’s way as a show of physical courage.
After breakfast, we will walk for several blocks in a loop around the White House, visiting key locations and explaining the circumstances surrounding the assassination of James A Garfield in 1881, as well as the attempts on the lives of Andrew Jackson, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Barack Obama. In addition to discussing the plots, the motives, the weapons and the assassins themselves, we will learn about individual Secret Service agents and other professionals who gave their lives protecting the Presidents. You will learn about the bunker in the White House and the protocols for moving the President through the city (tying up traffic for the locals!)
    |
   |
Finally, we will pause to talk about the aftermath of assassinations and the traditions associated with Presidential funerals, some of which are grounded in the funeral designed by Alexander Hamilton for George Washington in 1799.
Should you wish to do so, we may add a visit to Arlington Cemetery to see the graves of William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, the only two American Presidents buried there. Arlington Cemetery is a fascinating destination, worth a full day to learn its history, see the monuments and hear the stories of the many heroes interred since the Civil War.
Should you wish to do so, we may add a visit to Arlington Cemetery to see the graves of William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, the only two American Presidents buried there. Arlington Cemetery is a fascinating destination, worth a full day to learn its history, see the monuments and hear the stories of the many heroes interred since the Civil War.
