Day 18: October 16, 2015--Ford's Theater and Mount Vernon GALLERY

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A strange sort of artifact: Label from a dead-president-branded water bottle

Things went perfectly today (well, except the crowds at Mount Vernon prevented a decent tour experience; see why in today's Post). Otherwise, it was splendid.

Ford's Theater and the Petersen House

Lovely, isn't it? (Photo by Lila)

Well, actually, there were a lot of people there. (But the wait wasn't really bad.)

These seemed odd... In the Ford's Theater Museum

A detective tells the story of the night Mr. Lincoln was shot.

The Presidential Box remains empty to this day.

Not Lincoln's actual deathbed, but an amazing replica! (A collector bought
the original in 1877; it's in a museum in Chicago now.) (Photo by Lila)

Here's a cool map and timeline of Lincoln's assassination. Click it once to make it bigger, and in most browsers, click it again to make the text readable.

Photo-edited from the NPS brochure

Mount Vernon

Stained glass in the Visitor Center depicting scenes from Washington's life (or not)

I'm pretty sure this one actually happened.

Approaching the house.

A fine expanse of lawn

Visitors enter on the left, exit on the right.

The Potomac as seen from the house

Another angle on the house

The "New Tomb" (1831)

Inside the tomb

A piper on the grounds. (I wonder if anyone paid him?)
(Photo by Lila)

Washington as a civilian (walking stick; plow behind
him; bundle of sticks is a Roman symbol of civil power)

So, as we're leaving, we see this in the Visitor Center, and I realize:
WE MISSED THE BEST SHOT OF ALL! Too tired to go back, we
figured we'd have to wait for next time. The Potomac side of the house.

There were tons of little workshops and things; also the "Old Tomb" (Vault), a walk by the river, and other scenes. It's a big place. This map will give you some idea. (Click to make it bigger, then click again to make it huge in most browsers.)

Click and click again. From the visitors' "Map & Guide."

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