Wednesday December 17, 2008
Civil War Sites
When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Washington, DC was home to about 61,000 people. There are dozens of Civil War-era buildings and statues to war heroes throughout the city. Several museums also host exhibits highlighting Civil War materials; other memorials and monuments commemorate individuals and events of the Civil War. There are numerous Civil War battlefields within a short drive of Washington, DC, including some of the most famous ones.
| African American Civil War Memorial and Museum (202) 667-2667 1200 U Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009 10am-5pm Monday-Friday; 10am-2pm Saturday; closed Sundays Groups of more than five should call ahead No admission charged |
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The only memorial in the country dedicated to "the Colored Troops in the Civil War." The museum contains photographs, newspaper articles, and replicas of period clothing, uniforms and weaponry to help understand the role of African Americans throughout the Civil War. |
Arlington National Cemetery |
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The somber sight of hundreds and hundreds of white crosses lined up across a green lawn is a striking visual and brings into sharper focus the debt of gratitude owed to our nation's military heroes. It’s no surprise that it’s called “our nation’s most hallowed ground.” Final resting place of President John Kennedy and thousands of American servicemen and women. One section at Arlington National Cemetery features the graves of "Colored Troops." The Changing of the Guard occurs on the hour each hour October through March, then occurs every half-hour April through September. Tour bus services operate throughout the day; tickets can be purchased at the cemetery. |
| Ford's Theatre/Petersen's House (202) 426-6924 511 10th Street, NW (between E and F Streets), Washington, DC Ford's Theatre and museum: Closed for renovation until February 2009 |
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The site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April of 1865 has been open to the public since 1968. The building itself has a colorful history, having started as a Baptist church. After Lincoln’s assassination, the theatre was closed, but served intermittently as a museum, office space and storage facility. A restoration effort started in 1954 brought the theatre back, and theatrical events still performed on its stage. At the museum located in the theatre, you will find artifacts related to the assassination, including the gun and knife used by John Wilkes Booth in the attack. The Petersen House, where the mortally-wounded Lincoln was taken after the attack and later died, is located directly across the street from the Theatre. |
| Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site (703) 838-4848 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22304 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday; 12pm-5pm Sunday; closed Mondays No admission charged; donations accepted |
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Fort Ward is the best-preserved of the Union forts and batteries used to protect Washington, D.C. during the Civil War. It provides interpretive programs, tours, videos and living history activities. The museum is patterened after the Union Army headquarters building. |
Lincoln Memorial West End, National Mall, Washington, DC |
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A solemn remembrance of the legacy of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, this is a must for Civil War buffs. It is located at the west end of the National Mall, and resembles a Greek Doric temple. Its 36 columns represent the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. It has been the site of many historic gatherings and speeches, including 1963's "I Have A Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. An exhibit in the basement of the memorial highlights civil rights efforts. |
Lincoln's Cottage 140 Rock Creek Church Rd, NW, Soldier’s Home Grounds, Washington, DC November 1-March 31: 10am-3pm Monday-Saturday; 12-3pm Sunday April 1-October 31: 10am-4pm Monday-Saturday; 12-4pm Sunday Closed January 1, Thanksgiving, December 25Tickets required; advance purchase strongly recommended |
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This cottage, opened to the public in 2008, gives an intimate, never-before-seen view of Abraham Lincoln, who spent most of the summers during his presidency in this cottage, commuting to the White House daily by horseback or carriage. The cottage, formerly known as "Anderson Cottage and located on the grounds of the Soldier's Home, was designated a National Monument in 2000, and opened for public tours in February 2008 after a seven-year, $15 million restoration project. |
National Museum of Health & Medicine (Walter Reed Hospital) 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 10am-5:30pm
daily; closed December 25 |
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This museum, which dates back to Civil War, serves is a center for collection of specimens for research in military medicine and surgery. You will find curious medical instruments and unusual anatomical artifacts as well as an exhibit on the development and progression of the microscope. There is a Civil War exhibit, "To Bind Up The Nation's Wounds: Medicine During the Civil War." |
