"My Abraham Lincoln" Exhibition and Dedication on New Lincoln Statue Mark Start of Yearlong Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration at President Lincoln's Cottage
Lincoln Spent One Quarter of his Presidency at the Cottage, a National Trust Historic Site
Posted February 12, 2009 | Contact pr@nthp.org or 202-588-6141
"My Abraham Lincoln," an exhibition of pop culture and historical artifacts, and the dedication of a new statue of President Lincoln and his horse, mark the start of a yearlong Lincoln Bicentennial celebration at President Lincoln's Cottage. The exhibit remains on view until December 31, 2009; the statue of President Lincoln and his horse is permanent.
"My Abraham Lincoln" includes campaign memorabilia, satirical cartoons, photographs, documents, a rare 1086-ounce, solid silver Lincoln statue by the sculptor of Mount Rushmore, an early set of "Lincoln Logs," and other artifacts. (Lincoln Logs were designed in 1916 by John Lloyd Wright, son of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright). The artifacts come from six private collections. The life-size, 2,500 pound, bronze statue of President Lincoln and his horse, located in front of the Cottage, was designed by Studio EIS, and took one year to create from sketches to final cast. The statue was commissioned for the Cottage through the generosity of Robert H. Smith.
President Lincoln's Cottage, which served as Lincoln's family residence for a quarter of his presidency, is located on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in northwest Washington, DC. The site opened to the public in February 2008, following a seven-year, $15 million dollar restoration. The Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center, a LEED-Gold certified facility located in a restored 1905 building adjacent to the Cottage, presents permanent and temporary exhibitions about Lincoln's presidency, family, and Washington, DC during the Civil War.
The exhibition is located in the Special Exhibit Gallery in the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center at President Lincoln's Cottage, Eagle Gate at the intersection of Rock Creek Church Road NW and Upshur Street NW. Hours of operation: 9:30am-4:30pm Monday-Saturday, 11:30am-5:30pm Sunday.
Visitor information, tickets and directions are available online at www.lincolncottage.org.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately-funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places to enrich our future. www.PreservationNation.org
