Petersen House

Petersen House
source
Name	Petersen House
Caption	The Petersen House, a National Historic Site
Location	Washington, D.C., United States
Coordinates	38.8967, -77.0264, type:landmark_region:US-DC
Built	1849
Architect	Unknown
Architecture	Federal style
Designated nrhp type	February 12, 1974
Partof	Ford's Theatre National Historic Site
Governing body	National Park Service

Petersen House. Located across the street from Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., this unassuming brick row house is forever enshrined in American history as the place where President Abraham Lincoln died. After being shot by actor John Wilkes Booth during a performance of Our American Cousin on April 14, 1865, the mortally wounded president was carried to the boarding house owned by William Petersen, a German-Swedish tailor. The house, now meticulously preserved and administered by the National Park Service as part of the Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, serves as a solemn memorial to the tragic conclusion of the American Civil War and the nation's profound loss.

History

The three-story building was constructed in 1849 as a typical Federal-style row house in the bustling downtown area of the national capital. It was purchased in 1850 by William Petersen, an immigrant tailor, who resided there with his family and took in boarders to supplement his income. The neighborhood was a mix of residential and commercial properties, situated near significant sites like the Capitol and the Center Market. Following the events of April 1865, the house changed ownership several times and was used for various commercial purposes, including a museum dedicated to the assassination as early as the 1890s. Recognizing its immense historical value, the U.S. Congress authorized its purchase in 1896, making it one of the first historic house museums in the federal custodianship, a precursor to the modern preservation efforts of the National Park Service.

Architecture and layout

The exterior of the structure is a simple red-brick facade characteristic of mid-19th century Washington, D.C. residential architecture. The interior layout centered around a narrow hallway and staircase, with rooms opening off a central passage on each floor. The front parlor on the first floor was rented by a U.S. Army clerk, William T. Clark, at the time of the assassination. The back bedroom on the first floor, rented by another boarder, was where Lincoln was ultimately placed due to its larger size. This room, now known as the "death room," is furnished with period-appropriate pieces, including a replica of the spool bed where the president died. The house's modest proportions and simple decor starkly contrast with the grandeur of the White House and underscore the sudden, ordinary setting of a national tragedy.

Lincoln's death and aftermath

After the shooting at Ford's Theatre, bystanders carried the unconscious president across Tenth Street seeking immediate refuge. They were directed to the Petersen House by a boarder, where Lincoln was placed diagonally on a bed in the first-floor rear room. Throughout the night, a solemn vigil was held by prominent figures including Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, Surgeon General Joseph K. Barnes, Robert Lincoln, and several members of the cabinet and Congress. Mary Todd Lincoln alternated between grieving in the front parlor and at her husband's bedside. Lincoln was attended by Doctor Charles Leale, the first physician to reach him at the theatre, and other doctors including Robert K. Stone. He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865. Following an autopsy performed at the White House, Lincoln's body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda before the historic funeral train journey to Springfield, Illinois.

Museum and preservation

Operated as a historic house museum, the Petersen House has been restored to its 1865 appearance based on historical photographs and accounts. Visitors enter through a modern museum center beneath Ford's Theatre before crossing to the house, which contains many original furnishings and evocative artifacts. The front parlor and the iconic back bedroom are the focal points, preserved as sacred spaces. The site is a key component of the Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, which was collectively designated a National Historic Site in 1970. Ongoing preservation work by the National Park Service ensures the structural integrity and historical authenticity of this profoundly significant landmark, educating millions about the immediate aftermath of one of the most pivotal events in American history.

In popular culture

The Petersen House has been depicted in numerous historical films, documentaries, and literary works focusing on the life and death of Abraham Lincoln. It features prominently in movies such as D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915), John Ford's The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936), and more recent works like Robert Redford's The Conspirator (2010). The house and the death room are often meticulously recreated for these productions. It is also a central setting in many historical novels and non-fiction accounts of the assassination, including those by James L. Swanson and Bill O'Reilly. The site's solemn atmosphere has made it a powerful visual symbol of national mourning and the abrupt end of the Lincoln presidency.

Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Category:Museums in Washington, D.C. Category:National Historic Sites in Washington, D.C. Category:Abraham Lincoln