The Family Home Where Lincoln Died - DC's Petersen House

[@Fightingninja7]

I visited this location in November. I met the park ranger, Garett, that was in this video… he was fantastic! He knew everything about the history of the house along with the death of Lincoln (he even told us some house secrets). He was such an amazing tour guide!

[@9094nancyj]

He does seem very knowledgeable and enthusiastic person. This is the type of guide you want when taking a tour!

[@propbraker]

You gonna tell us the secrets or what?

[@powerWithinUs4055]

Once you start with this stuff, you can’t stop. There's a tour guide who takes a group to the alleys and theatres…he’s fascinating, his book is fascinating…. They Killed Poppa Dead. Peterson of Peterson House met an untimely death. Rathbone too. All of it went on for years because it was such a tragic and chaotic event. There are ghost stories aplenty. People who work at what is now Ft. McNair, claim to hear whispers of Mary Surratt and her daughter who was trying to comfort her mother where she was being held….there is wailing and sobbing. Mary Surratt was re-buried at Mt. Olivet. The man…is it Louis? He testified against her. His grave is a short distance from hers. Don’t mention to Merrick Garland….it was 84 days from April 14th to the conspirators execution by hanging. Eighty-four.

[@anneshalaby8910]

,.

[@KevinGoble-wu6rw]

I went there in the 80's,they had the actual pillow in a glass protective case back then,it's been removed

[@Nyx773]

1) I am always amazed with the NPS Interpretive Rangers. Almost all of them are incredibly knowledgeable with great presentation skills. 2) The Rathbone's story is very tragic

[@lynnflynn5591]

This particular NPS Interpretive Ranger appears passionate about his work. I'll bet he loves history too. ❤

[@cindyknudson2715]

#2 How so?

[@Nyx773]

@@cindyknudson2715 From Wikipedia Although Rathbone's physical wounds healed, his mental state deteriorated in the years following Lincoln's death as he anguished over his perceived inability to thwart the assassination. After his resignation from the military in 1870, Rathbone struggled to find and keep a job due to his mental instability. He became convinced that his wife was unfaithful and resented the attention she paid their children. He reportedly threatened her on several occasions after suspecting that she was going to divorce him and take the children. Rathbone and his family relocated to Germany, where his mental health continued to decline. On December 23, 1883, he attacked his children in a fit of madness. He fatally shot and stabbed his wife, who was attempting to protect the children. He stabbed himself five times in the chest in an attempted suicide. He was charged with murder, but was declared insane by doctors after he blamed the murder on an intruder. He was convicted and committed to an asylum for the criminally insane in Hildesheim, Germany. The couple's children were sent to live with their uncle, William Harris, in the United States. Rathbone spent the rest of his life in the asylum. He died on August 14, 1911, and was buried next to his wife at the Stadtfriedhof Engesohde cemetery in Hanover, Germany.

[@mbrowning1970]

@@cindyknudson2715 after the assassination, and being an unsuspecting participant in this horrible tragedy, Rathbone was never quite the same mentally. His mental health deteriorated steadily over the years. He did end up marrying Clara Harris and had three children with her. Just before dawn on Christmas Eve of 1883, Henry Rathbone grabbed his revolver and a dagger and entered his children's bedroom. Clara was able to get him to leave their children's bedroom and she walked him across the hall into their bedroom where she quietly closed the door. It was at this time that Henry fired his revolver multiple times and also stabbing her, killing Clara. He then turned the dagger on himself, stabbing himself four times (many feel that he was reenacting the assassination from the night Lincoln was killed). He survived the wounds but was tried for the murder of Clara. He was found to be insane and committed to an insane asylum where he died in 1911. Interestingly enough, Clara Harris kept her dress from that night and kept it in a closet at their summer house in Albany, NY. One time she thought she saw the ghost of Lincoln and had the closet, containing the dress, walled in with brick. Ultimately, their son had the dress burned as he felt it only served as a curse to their family.

[@JustTrying87]

This should have more views. Fascinating.

[@Lisabug2659]

My parents would drive us kids nuts dragging us on vacation every summer for 3 weeks. It was 1968 and I remember going to the theatre and the house, Williamsburg and everything, civil war field, museums you name it. I feel very lucky at 64 that they took all 6 of us kids to historic places. All we cared about at the time was if the hotels had a pool......😊

[@jenniferlloyd9574]

Those are some wonderful memories. My parents took us kids on sightseeing expeditions, too. Both of them are gone now and all we have are beautiful memories along with photos. I'm 58 and regret not listening, as a kid, when my parents would say things like "someday you'll wish you'd not taken things for granted"...

[@1rewd133]

Our little family moved to Fairfax County from small town Ohio in the summer of 1967. We hosted all sorts of family as they wanted to visit DC, northern Virginia, and Southern historic areas. It really was special to have all that history as "home", and a wonderful place to live into my mid 30s. Miss it all every day.

[@gerrys4822]

Yeah, you really have to WORK HARD as a parent to cultivate a love of history in kids when they are very young. That way they will better APPRECIATE visiting those historic sites as young kids. Sounds like your parents went above and beyond. So their efforts manifest in you later in life. 😉👍 Mission accomplished. My parents did the same. to my brother and I.

[@bethbabson913]

My parents took us kids places and I seem to be the one who likes history still t o this day.

[@billrowland6759]

Just prior to the reopening I was witness to the first dress rehearsal since the assassination. The play was " The Comedy of Errors by Shakespeare. I was a school boy heading home to MD. Later in Life is was an extra in the movie ' The Day Lincoln was Shot'....and later still in Spielberg's" Lincoln '. ( Shortly after the Dress rehearsal was the Grand Reopening .. . 1968 I think...lol )

[@caitlynmarie557]

I could hear Garret talk for hours. His knowledge and enthusiasm for history is amazing.

[@joyd1206]

My husband and I were actually at the Petersen House when the news broke of the killing of JFK in Dallas. We were new to the area and site seeing. People were wandering the streets crying in disbelief. A piece of our personal history we will never forget.

[@whatareuthinking1]

Wow

[@CalvinTennessee]

Wow that is wild just to think about. It must have literally felt surreal.

[@joyd1206]

@@CalvinTennessee We were caught up with everyone at the time in the shock of the news. But yes absolutely surreal now and thinking back at it through the many years. .

[@frankharrington4881]

I was born in 1969, but I heard many times my parents and Godparents talking about remembering EXACTLY where they were when the news broke about JFK! Thank you for sharing that! Patricia Gambino Harrington(I post on my husband Frank's KZbin acct)

[@MichaelForte-jn5pn]

​@@frankharrington4881I can relate to everything you said

[@jcagle7373]

I love this gentleman's enthusiasm for History. Such a wealth of knowledge.

[@willi6880]

I love the enthusiasm of the ranger, both actually. Id love to visit that place one day

[@CrownroyalBlack-c1p]

This park ranger is super nice he deserves his job for sure great job of being full of happiness

[@LTKK]

Give that park ranger his own show, WOW!

[@tonyascarlett2413]

Yes.😊

[@peterdiesel1381]

Yes. I wish the other guy would let him talk and learn something!

[@shable1436]

If you search KZbin, there's a man who was in a 1950s gameshow that was at that theatre when Lincoln was shot, he was a very young boy, but still remembered the details. It's crazy how in the grand scheme of things that time and history of America or civilization of humanity itself doesn't seem that long ago.

[@SoGorgeous-ju8jn]

It was To Tell The Truth.

[@sigguy1361]

Yep, he was in his 90’s on the show and died not too long after it aired. Crazy stuff

[@joewelsh8979]

I saw that clip too. It blew me away! It's great that stuff has been saved

[@dominaevillae28]

Tenth president James Tyler has a grandson still living.

[@SoGorgeous-ju8jn]

@@dominaevillae28 Yes! 95 soon to be 96. Amazing!

[@jenniferaashiem6165]

When I went there in 1992 his blood stained pillow was on the bed with a plastic case over it. Too bad it isn’t there any more. That was surreal!

[@lorig4871]

It was there in 2008

[@georgiafrye2815]

I saw it also. I will never forget seeing it. We toured the Ford Theatre and went across the Street to the Peterson House.

[@karriemcneal2597]

I went in 1993 same

[@karriemcneal2597]

@@georgiafrye2815me tooooo my school took us… Inglewood Christian school class of 93 in Inglewood California

[@sassytbc7923]

Right after we were married my husband and I went to Washington D?C. Fords theater was not open for performances then, but We saw the bed, pillow etc. Where is it now? Somewhere on KZbin, the re ios an interview with a gentleman who was in the theatre with his family . Tho he was just a young boý the night of the shooting, he tells in vivid detail about the shooting , how John Wilkes Booth jumped out of the presidents ´booth in his escape. So there is an eye witness testimony available.

[@tomjones2202]

This man is a wealth of knowledge!! Fun to hear him speak and not let Mr. Shoaf hardly get a word in! LOL Good job!

[@jusadude7162]

Ranger Garrett Cost is SUCH a great spokesperson for this historical event. Wow, he’s good!!

[@judyholiday1794]

My cousin met this guide a couple of months ago ..He is super nice ,and very professional..😊

[@ms.donaldson2533]

A gentleman came into a Baltimore cemetery when I was working and told me of the story of the house across the street from Ford's Theater and said it was one of his distance great grandmother's bed that Lincoln died in and that the family kept the bedspread.

[@powerWithinUs4055]

Yes, sounds like the boarding house one block up. It was there they got replacement pillows for the dying President's bed. Peterson had five or six kids. The neighbors were on the scene all through the night and following day. There were armed guards, but still souvenir hunters managed. Taken to another level…esteemed collections have memorabilia. Bought it, didn’t pick it up. It isn’t all in one place. No need to bring it all to one place. There's enough as it is, to include Lincoln’s coat pocket contents. Cool to find fragments that have spawned mini museums.

[@Farbar1955]

I'm curious regarding the reconstruction of the theater in the 1960's if they tried to locate the stage, theater boxes, and seats in roughly the same locations as they were originally.

[@UlricSchnellock]

Absolutely. Remember, this was a crime scene and photography was becoming widely used. The theater's interior was throughly photographed by the War Department to document the crime. So there were many photos on which to base a reconstruction. Also, in the 19th century, souvenir hunting was a huge thing. Many people ripped wallpaper samples, curtains, carpet, etc out of the theater and many of those samples were used as reference in the reconstruction.

[@marylavine2632]

Amazing how many people in vicinity could aid with education, medical ability and experience to offer assistance.

[@powerWithinUs4055]

Astute observation. People were hands-on helpful by necessity. The streets were packed with bayoneted soldiers within minutes, no one could get through. Clara Barton's office was three blocks away, she was returning home when she passed by the commotion.

[@kingsethos5108]

I went on a tour of both places in the early 1990s....I was told then that the only original thing in the Ford's Theatre is the portrait of George Washington hanging outside the box Lincoln sat in. Amazing experience even though nothing is original.

[@inisipisTV]

Like the Ship of Theseus.

[@nickroberts-xf7oq]

Just like the interior of the White House, or Dunker Church at Antietam, etc.....

[@dominaevillae28]

The Whitehouse was collapsing, it needed a renovation🙂

[@olsonkarolynn]

This was coooool. I am related to Senator Charles Sumner. Who was friends with Lincoln. He was also beside Lincolns bed when Lincoln passed away.

[@jillgebauer1292]

I love his passion! I hope it sticks!

[@Selfishr]

I visited this house when I was in 10th grade(1991) I remember seeing the blood on the pillow and just feeling the weight of sorrow in the room , it’s a sorrow that never really goes away, we also visited Forrds theater, I will never forget that trip and how I felt knowing that our president died in that very room 😢

[@shellcshells2902]

I remember that also. I went in the mid 80s.

[@PackingProtons]

you might have seen our group. around the same grade and year. :) we did the same thing.

[@Roshod-c8k]

❤

[@donreed5029]

Back in the late 40s and early 50s when relatives came to visit my parents from Detroit I was selected to be the tour guide for them. The unreconstructed Fords Theater and the Peterson house, also basically like it was in Lincolns day, were among the places we went. You could see the hole in the door at Fords, and other items of interest. I believe the flag from Ft McHenry was also there. This video brings back some fond memories of growing up in DC

[@angelawatkins3406]

I wondered since President Lincoln died nine hours after he was shot , if he could have been taken to a hospital or doctor instead?

[@lisamurrin6253]

@@angelawatkins3406Lincoln was evaluated by a few doctors that were in the theater. They had experience with gunshot wounds and knew that the president’s wound was most likely mortal, and mainly just wanted him in a less scandalous place than a theater.

[@Justintime619]

Wow! Garret was amazing! What a great story teller! Would LOVE to see more videos with him telling the history in them.. seems like he knows a lot…

[@EileenMeehan-q4g]

I was at Ford’s Theater for the first time in 1966. My dad was always a history buff and as a child I saw Greenfield Village, Colonial Williamsburg and so much of D.C. Only in the past few years have I become aware of how recently those places had opened. For a family of modest means from Cleveland we experienced so much.

[@MicahxTv]

the whole time i was thinking damn imagine if the walls could speak what a story they would have to tell about what happened inside that home on that fateful night

[@Tacoking824]

Let’s be good Americans and mind our business and stay the hell of anyone’s that doesn’t concern you 😂😂😂

[@emmgeevideo]

Ha ha ha... I think the two presenters did a really good job of providing what the walls might have said.

[@johncarrara9784]

I was fortunate to tour Ford's Theater and the Peterson house at the age of 10 in 1956. To first be able to actually view the box where Abraham Lincoln was shot, and then be able to stand in the room where he died was truly fascinating. I don't remember if the bed was the actual bed that he died in but it was amazing to see. Even at my young age, I had read quite a bit about him and was very interested in him. This day i could feel the history and will never forget it 68 years later. Although I have never traced my family tree, but my mother's maiden name was Booth, and my grandparents told me that John Wilkes Booth was a distant relative. I still might go on Ancestry to find out definitively. I have no surviving relatives who can validate that claim.

[@powerWithinUs4055]

Yes….you owe it to yourself and others to find out. Ancestry is wonderfully addicting….you can find out a lot in a short session. It’s great fun, an instant hobby if you’re so inclined. I could regale with things I found on the first session. Within another four, I had surpassed any and all my family ever knew of their family. BTW Everyone knew Booth. With his chiseled good looks--he was a head turner. Feel certain you’d find the connection on your first pass. They were from ….maybe Harford County, MD, and, I think, Baltimore. My only mistake was not starting ancestry sooner. I guess I thought it would be involved and I’d have it spread all over my desk. No. It’s easy and fast, stop and start. Not the addiction part though….you're hooked.

[@Resenbrink]

Excellent details - so interesting. A friend and I were on vacation from Australia in '97 and drove 9,000 miles around the US. While in Washington we set out to visit Fords theater and stopped at a bar called Harrys on the way - we ended up staying too long and Fords was closed by the time we got there hence the only photo I have is of me on the front steps. I wonder if Harrys is still there. Thanks for such an interesting and informative video......had no idea about the military takeover of the theater and its subsequent effective total demolition save for the street facade which really does detract from the genuine character of the building.

[@CalvinTennessee]

This guy is good. My best friend was a tour guide in DC for 30 years and i’ve been on 3 guided tours of this building and i still learned many new things from this video. Good job!

[@Poplicola08]

The chair that Lincoln was sitting in when he was shot is at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. You can still see blood on the chair, although there is debate about the blood being Lincoln's, Rathbone's, or both of theirs. If you're into history and you are ever in Detroit, The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village is an absolute must. In addition to Lincoln's chair, they have the Lincoln that JFK was shot in, Rosa Park's bus, and the literal buildings that were Henry Ford's lab and the Wright Brother's shop.

[@paigepalmer1147]

Excellent video. I have visited Ford's Theatre and the Petersen Boardinghouse where Lincoln died many times. They are both such incredibly well preserved pieces of history. Thank you to all the NPS Rangers who do such a fantastic job keeping history alive!

[@mathewsawyer4811]

The small size of the theatre, in person, took me by surprise

[@yvonneplant9434]

People were smaller physically back then. Lincoln's height was unusual.

[@powerWithinUs4055]

This from NPS site : John T. Ford claimed his new theatre would hold 2500 spectators. The real capacity was probably closer to 1700. From eyewitnesses, we know that several attendees moved around the theatre for better seats, suggesting that it was not a completely full house. So, the number is likely to be around 1500, though we will never know very precisely. Through the years, many would later claim to have been present, and those claims can be difficult to substantiate because no list of attendees was taken or kept at the time.

[@msjenjenp]

I thought the same thing. I was amazed by how small it seemed.

[@sharoncarpenter6174]

I didn't catch what date the floor fell in ?

[@JayYoung-ro3vu]

Wonderful presentation! I'm glad someone got to work in the historical site field. It wasn't an option for me 40 years ago despite a love of history. Much repect still.

[@vanessahenry7238]

I had no idea that the building that I thought was Fords Teater had gone through all that! Ifound this video by accident and glad I did! Thank you for making it and passing on the history!!!!

[@KC-603]

I enjoyed this video very much! I love history and Lincoln is one of my favorite subjects! I admired him for being self-taught! My grandfather and Mr Lincoln were the same height and almost identical. Except grandpa Payne didnt wear a beard Thank you for the tour!!

[@marcobrownstone]

I enjoyed the park ranger, Garett's enthusiasm. He is to be commended for his attitude and stored knowledge. Thank you Garett.

[@gaylacotton2097]

I was there in the summer of 1970. We walked across the street from Ford Theater. We were only allowed to climb an outside stair on side of house. Was allowed to look inside doorway to see only a small bed . the guard said Lincoln died on that bed in that bed. he was rude and not informative if anything. This program was very good. Times have changed.

[@robinburke2036]

Incredibly interesting! Thank you!

[@mikemartinez4332]

My wife and I got to visit the Ford's Theater and the Petersen House in the summer of 2023 and met Garrett and we loved his enthusiasm and energy he brings to what he does. He loves his job and you see his knowledge and enthusiasm in this video too. Good job!

[@jason_l5p]

Very impressed with the park rangers knowledge

[@LittleTut]

I live in Washington, DC and actually live not very far from Ford's Theatre/Petersen's House. I'm just north of the U.S. Capitol Building and can walk there, Union Station. My mother took my brother and me to the Petersen's House when we were young and I remember seeing the bedroom and bed where Lincoln died. I had no I idea that the building was ripped apart, had a collapse and was eventually rebuilt. Great video and history lesson. 😊👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@davestelling]

Marvelous presentation, impressive young man with his enthusiasm and historical knowledge. Thank you...

[@ardiffley-zipkin9539]

Great video. Garret is very talented. I visited Ford’s Theater & the home with family twice over the years. The Ranger Service has many talented guides in many historic locations. Working with the Service to showcase their personnel in videos and allowing seniors to “tour” these famous site. Eerie sense of the past touring the site.

[@lorimeyers3839]

I’ve been to a museum in Milford, PA that has an American flag with Lincoln’s blood on it. Right after he was shot, someone grabbed an American flag that was draped in his theatre box and rested it under his head as they lifted him and transported him out of Ford’s theatre. They ended up confirming it was his blood through DNA testing. Pretty wild.

[@tdecker2937]

This man should put out his own educational documentaries about a variety of Lincoln/ civil war-related topics.

[@GiGiGoesShopping]

Thanks for making history come alive! Kudos to Park Ranger Most who was phenomenal ✨ We had the good fortune to attend a showing of 'A Christmas Carol' at Ford's Theater and tour the museum below stairs.

[@dustindreese85]

Garret is a great story teller! Awesome vid, guys!

[@NateInDC]

I've never been to the Petersen House; however, I've been to Ford's Theater, not to tour but to see a performance, and the balcony where Lincoln got shot is still intact, off limits, of course, it looks dark and eerie.

[@katm5903]

Fascinating. Hope to someday to get to the East Coast to see all of these historical places. I'm an ancestor of William Herndon, Lincoln lawyer and biographer.

[@RHatakeyama1961]

I remember touring both locations in the early 80's. Back then, the pillow on the bed where Lincoln dies was still on the bed and you could see the faint blood stains. Wonder what happened to it.

[@kevinbradley3356]

Yes , I was there several times over six weeks in June and July of 1986.the blood stained pillow cases were there and there was no railing keeping you from walking to the far end of the room.

[@Lockbar]

The bed displayed inside the Peterson house is a good reproduction. The original bed is on display at the Chicago Historical Society.

[@TexasRed59]

I believe the bloody pillow is located in the Lincoln Museum in Ford's Theater.

[@TexasRed59]

@@kevinbradley3356 I was there in 1987-88 and back then there wasn't a glass, or plexiglass, enclosure around the bed either.

[@richardvinsen2385]

I was there in November of 1992. I remember the blood stained pillow as well.

[@76TomD]

The Park Ranger Garrett is awesome!

[@lostbear53]

I am a 70 yr old vet(USAF) and history buff... thx for posting, the best video about the Civil war I've seen since watching The Battlefield Walker's video of a Civil war collection 10 months ago... Very informative and well done! sub'd & liked THANKS

[@bellab8639]

I love this content, so interesting!! They make me feel like I’m actually on the tour

[@soultheinterrogator]

This is on my bucket list of places to visit 😊

[@lorigoodwin269]

Wonderful video. Awesome job by Garett.

[@bradfordbarrettluckotheIrish]

Incredible story, great job Garrett. 🇺🇸

[@andrewjohnson9284]

That was awesome. Good work on the video

[@queenmarynovelwriter5397]

I lived in Washington DC. Tenth street across from Ford's theater was where the bus turned around in the 70's.

[@brianhannan8030]

Hell yeah 😎 awesome tour thank you 😁

[@whatareuthinking1]

Absolutely fantastic great job guys

[@greenman4508]

I used to have a copy of it, trying to get another one, but an ancestor of mine was the caregiver of that house who lived in the basement. The newspaper clip says Lincoln was wearing his shirt when he passed. I don’t remember the name. Any information on him?

[@barbrajones349]

I've been there twice (last time was five years ago) but didn't know a lot of this information until now. Fascinating!

[@terridubois6160]

I visited this house during my 7th grade D.C. class trip. But the pillows still had blood on them. It was really creepy.

[@hemi5.754]

Was there in the early 1990s they had the original pillow that Lincoln had his head on in a glass case you could see the blood stains on it , got pictures of it too.

[@faststart1000]

I saw the bed back in the 1970s visiting there and they had the original pillow that was still blood stained under some sort of glass or plastic encasement laying on the bed itself too. That doesn’t seem to be on the bed anymore on this video.

[@elphiegleason3899]

Thanks for this I love history videos on different channels.

[@kittymervine6115]

I was lucky to attend one of the first plays at Ford's Theater when it repopened.

[@billrowland6759]

It wasn't by any chance ' The Comedy of Errors ' by Shakespeare?

[@NOLA4LIFE504]

So lucky to have been able to visit both places, truly amazing history

[@4WingedAngels]

I went to these places when I was a child in the early 1970’s. At that time, the Petersen House still had the pillow that Lincoln died on, for people to see-safely placed under a clear plastic box. I was so upset by that imagery, and never forgot it.

[@goldengnome1951]

I went there in about 1983 as a kid and i totally remember that pillow! I was hoping to see it in the video. Guess it didn't make it.

[@shellcshells2902]

I saw it in the mid 80s and it had the blood on it.

[@powerWithinUs4055]

4Winged……think of what it means. We can see on the wonderful internet….visiting Peterson House is a moving experience, never forgotten. Many a childhood visit created lifelong love of history, no doubt. No need to be upset by the imagery…..Abe wouldn’t want that. We have to be grateful that the home was preserved. Could be an elevator office building.

[@4WingedAngels]

@@powerWithinUs4055 We eventually lived in Illinois, and got to see Lincoln’s home, too. It was nice to see the full circle of life with his history.

[@powerWithinUs4055]

@@4WingedAngels Never underestimate the power of visits to historical sites. We need Americanism now, as then. Putting such things in a child’s life is important. We live the memories.

[@billpholde4816]

Great video Garret gave an excellent and thorough presentation.

[@kathynguyen6409]

Thank you for sharing the history. :)

[@erinthomasson1399]

I love how everyone in the comments is so positive and supportive!

[@Serrano46571]

Went there 40+ years Love American history of that era.

[@lisaengel89]

I was there the summer of 1981 and the original yellowed pillowcase where Lincoln's head rested was there with his blood on it. What happened to it?

[@wizzardofpaws2420]

I went there in 1990. Got to see the blood stained pillow Lincoln died on. The blood was quite faded but you could see it. Now they don't display it.

[@jackiecellchan]

Its in the theater museum now

[@RavenGent]

I yet to visit the Peterson house. But I stood on the steps years ago in April 2012. I felt the energy of what happened their in 1865. I get these little visions and I saw what happened that night. It was strong energy.

[@joyd1206]

I am in the minority here I preferred the absence of a tour guide explaining every detail. Just to stand there in the quiet and absorb the "energy of what happened" as you describe was indescribable.

[@cynthiaryan2901]

I visited this house many years ago. At that time the actual blood stained pillow was on the bed behind a see thru barrier.

[@tonypolous8765]

I visited this place in 2004 on a trip to see my brother who worked at the university of Baltimore. We walked all of d.c. the day before. Then we went to fords theater the next morning. When i got to the peterson house there was no plexiglass and my legs were so tired i sat down on the bed and the tour guide stoped and asked me if i knew what i was sitting on and i said no being 9 years old. He then told me one day i will be able to tell people i sat in the same bed and blakets that Abraham Lincoln died in.

[@bettywiendels5714]

Wow! Incredible!😮

[@888junkcarsbuyingteam8]

So sad to hear that after all my life thinking that was all original, it was completely gutted and destroyed a few times and just a recreation of American history. Just not the same but I'm glad it's still there. Thank you Abraham Lincoln! Rest in Peace.

[@joyd1206]

Yes. Quite the stark difference between then and now.

[@danjohnson8556]

We went to Ford Theatre and the Peterson house. The ranger told us very interesting details. It was fascinating.

[@casablancakid84]

Woww so interesting I had no idea it was almost torn down. I remember going to Fords Theater and the house where Lincoln died in elementary school. I lived in Virginia.

[@abelprado7921]

Who is the park Ranger? Amazing presenter! Does a better job than most KZbinrs! I would’ve just left him do the whole interview and tour…

[@kimma508]

Ranger Kost is fantastic! I enjoyed listening to him tell the stories of what happened in the house on that tragic day.

[@walkerpantera]

I wanna meet the ranger, what an enthusiastic guide.

[@paranormalnightmaretv]

That would be amazing to see.

[@michaellodge5456]

I just saw a video posted here on yt called, Last Witness to President Abraham Lincoln Assassination I've Got a Secrect. The guy was 5 years old. Samuel J Seymour interviewed in 1956

[@JohnnyButtons]

Back in the ‘90s I worked just around the corner at The Hard Rock Cafe and would regularly visit Fords Theatre and Patterson House ❤

[@RawHeadRay]

9:22 “so let’s head to the room where Lincoln is brought and passes away” ( cut to sped up footage and jolly feel good guitar music ) 😂I actually dig that,

[@darciedykema-u1y]

Been to the Peterson House. Haven't met Garret! Wow! Such passion for Peterson house and history! Dana needed to stop interrupting way too much! Felt sorry for Garrett and his story! This is Garretts business to share! Wish Garrett could of done what he wanted!

[@tonydanza6406]

It's so sad everytime I see a video about President Lincoln and the way he was killed to me he was one of the best President the United States ever had

[@richardlawson6787]

Unless you lived in the south where he got zero votes

[@Kevinsouth]

I visited the theater in June 1971. Little did I know that it had only been rebuilt a couple of years before. (There was a 12-inch plexiglass bubble in the wall that allowed looking into the box where Lincoln sat. By looking at some current videos, I think it's been removed.)

[@andrewhasty]

I am a cousin to Abraham Lincoln because my great grandpa Peter Hasty knew him & great grandpa Peter Hasty was a cousin to Abraham Lincoln also.My great grandpa was a cabinet maker in Fort Wayne,Indiana. look up a story of my great grandpa Peter Hasty.

[@pattietodd4037]

I so have enjoyed this video Thank you ❤

[@wendyallen1709]

Wonderful video!

[@westfield90]

I want to visit this place. American history fascinates me. I wish everyone in this nation understood how important our history and culture is.

[@Mrgop]

That is quite an amazing story.

[@FUall-g2s]

In the 7th grade I took a field trip to Washington for two weeks and went to this house and so many other wonderful places in history of the nation... It was one of the best experience of young life and open my eyes just how little my world had been before going... I love history and those who don't learn from it will have it rewritten for them these days...Buy Hard back books for your future and the safe keeping of our real history in the digital age.

[@michelehorne4054]

He's a real good story teller

[@kimberlymic7955]

Late to this video! I visited here in 1983 on a field trip from Pittsburgh. This looks nothing like what we saw then. How strange.

[@BMarie774]

Garrett is great, personable, entertaining, and most of all KNOWLEDGABLE.