Day 3, Sat: Touring Washington, D.C. by bicycle - 9 miles

We started our day with a casual ride down Pennsylvania Avenue and stopped at the White House.  We did not go in; Mr. President was too busy to meet with us today.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed a very educational tour of Ford's Theater, where Abraham Lincoln crossed paths with John Wilkes Booth.  

Ford's Theatre, which is still used as a theatre.

We were amazed at how much more we learned about Lincoln that we did not know.  Did you know that Acts were passed during his presidency that: created the first military draft, established colleges in every state, established a national currency, created the first income tax, chartered the first continental railroad, and designated Thanksgiving to be on the last Thursday of November?

In 1863 the Lincolns attended a Ford's Theatre performance starring the authentic matinee idol John Wilkes Booth, who was from a theatrical family.  Booth, who was fervently pro-Southern, had a growing hatred for Lincoln and glanced up at the president as he delivered some of the plays most threatening lines.   That hatred continued to grow.  Booth shot Lincoln in 1865.


The flag draped Presidential Box where Lincoln sat the night he was shot.
The blue areas are stage props for an upcoming performance.

On April 14, 1865 at 10:15 p.m., as Mary and the President watched a performance, John Wilkes Booth stood just a few feet behind Lincoln as he shot him.  Booth dropped his gun and jumped from the balcony to the floor below.  He left the theatre by this means because he had wedged shut the door to the Presidential Box, with the leg of a wooden music stand.

The actual Philadelphia Deringer pistol used to murder President Lincoln.

We then toured the Peterson House, directly across the street from the theatre, where Mr. Lincoln was taken after he was shot.  He died in the Peterson House the following morning, April 15, 1865.

Peterson House

We spent the afternoon at the National Crime & Punishment Museum. 



This is a privately owned museum dedicated to the history of criminology and penology in the United States.  More than 700 artifacts in 28,000 square feet of exhibition space relate the history of crime and its consequences.  The museum features exhibits on colonial crime, pirates, Wild West outlaws, gangsters, the Mob, mass murderers, and white collar criminals.  The museum also served as the television studio for America's Most Wanted.

As we returned to Fort Myer military base, after yet another very enjoyable day, we were rained upon.  It did not bother us, since we have had two weeks of amazingly good weather.

Thank you for viewing our blog.  We hope you enjoyed following us on our bicycling adventure.

Tomorrow we will be shuttled back to Pittsburgh.  Happy trails to you.