peterson house virtual tour

History of the Petersen House

Watch as the house where lincoln died changes through the years, ford's theatre.

Ford's Theatre Society

Petersen House (2007) by Carol Highsmith Ford's Theatre

The Petersens and their Home, 1849-1865

Before the Lincoln assassination, the Petersen House was just a house—another place for boarders to stay while living in Washington City. But after President Abraham Lincoln died in one of its rooms, the building became a destination for tourists, securing its place in history. For years, it functioned as a Lincoln museum. Then demand came to restore the interior to its 1865-era appearance. Although the building is remembered as the place where Lincoln died, it now helps to keep Lincoln’s legacy alive. 

William Petersen, a German tailor, purchased the lot in 1849 and built a four-story house. He lived here with his family but rented extra rooms to lodgers. During the Civil War, up to 21 people at once lived in its rooms. This image looks east from the White House toward the Capitol.

Born in Germany in 1816, William Petersen immigrated to the United States with his wife, Anna, on June 23, 1841. A tailor by trade, he earned a substantial fortune during the Civil War by making high-quality uniforms for officers. He and his wife remained in the house until their deaths in 1871.

Born in Germany in 1819, Anna Kloman[n] Petersen immigrated to the United States alongside her husband when she was 23. She and William had 10 children together, five of whom survived to adulthood. She was away at the time of the assassination but returned the next morning to find that the President had died in her home. She and William died within months of each other.

Lincoln Assassination Scene (1865) by Library of Congress and Currier and Ives Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-2073

The Assassination, April 14-15, 1865

On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth snuck into the Presidential Box at Ford’s Theatre. He fired one bullet into the back of Abraham Lincoln’s head before jumping over the railing and escaping into the night. Immediately, doctors recognized the severity of the President’s wound. He could not survive and the most pressing question was where should he spend his last hours. 

Doctors present decided that President Lincoln could not die in a theatre, and knowing he could not survive the journey back to the White House, asked audience members to carry him outside, ultimately bringing him into the Petersen House.

Engraving of President Lincoln's death (1868) by Alexander Hay Ritchie and Library of Congress LC-DIG-pga-02496 Ford's Theatre

This engraving of President Lincoln's death misrepresents the size of the small room. But many people did visit throughout the night before he died at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865.

This photograph, taken by boarders Henry and Julius Ulke the morning of April 15, 1865, captures the bed and room in which Lincoln died. In a touch of irony, rumor has it that John Wilkes Booth rested in this very bed a month earlier when he visited friend and fellow actor Charles Warwick, who was renting this room at the time.

Albert Berghaus’s Drawing of the Death Scene of Abraham Lincoln (1865) by Albert Berghaus Original Source: DC Public Library Special Collections

Residents, 1865

At the height of the war, the Petersen House did not want for boarders. The rooms filled quickly as so many people flooded Washington City needing places to stay. This depiction of President Lincoln’s death incorporates many of the boarders. It remains the only known depiction of many of them in an era when photography was in its infancy.

A former private in the 13th Massachusetts, William T. Clark spent the night of April 14 out celebrating the end of the war and was not at home when President Lincoln was shot. Clark returned the next morning after Lincoln’s body was removed and climbed into his bloodied bed to sleep. He later wrote a letter to his sister describing the constant influx of tourists and souvenir hunters, who often stole mementos from his room. Clark himself kept a lock of Lincoln’s hair.

Henry Safford was reading at home at the time of the assassination, but the commotion outside attracted his attention. Upon seeing the group of men carrying Lincoln and searching for a place to go, Safford shouted, “Bring him in here!” and led the men into William Clark’s first-floor room.

An accomplished painter, Henry Ulke operated a popular portrait studio on Pennsylvania Avenue and rented a room in the Petersen House in 1860. It is believed that he helped his brother Julius take a photograph of the death room after the removal of President Lincoln’s body.

Julius Ulke, with the aid of his brother Henry, took a photograph of the room in which Lincoln died.

Thomas Proctor was 17 years old at the time of the Lincoln assassination. He was working as a clerk for the War Department.

Petersen House (circa 1918–1920) Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-npcc-00069

Post-Assassination Museum, 1871–1920

After the deaths of William and Anna Petersen, their house transferred ownership multiple times. It was used as a home, an office space, and for decades, a Lincoln museum. By the 1930s, public interest dictated that the building should be restored to its 1865-era appearance.

A well-known German-American attorney, Louis Schade, purchased the Petersen House in 1878 for $4,500. He used it as his home and as office space for his newspaper, The Washington Sentinel. While he and his family initially enjoyed living in the home, they eventually tired of the constant curious visitors and sold the building to the federal government in 1896.

Petersen House, Sometime After 1883 Ford's Theatre

In 1883, a marble tablet was added to the Petersen House identifying it as the place where Lincoln died. (Image from 1920s.)

Petersen House (circa mid-1920s) Ford's Theatre

Frustrated by nonstop visitors, Louis Schade leased the Petersen House to the Memorial Association of D.C. In 1896, this group then allowed Osborn Oldroyd, a Lincoln enthusiast, to live there and showcase his extensive display of Lincoln-related objects. He poses on the stoop in this photograph.

Osborn Oldroyd, a Civil War veteran, became entranced with Abraham Lincoln during the 1860 presidential election. He dedicated the rest of his life to collecting as many Lincoln-related objects as he could. He created and operated his own Lincoln museum in the Petersen House until his death in 1930.

Room in which President Abraham Lincoln Died Ford's Theatre

Oldroyd’s Lincoln collection included items such as the Lincoln family Bible, Lincoln’s chair from his White House office, a log from his original home, photographs and newspapers, among other items. The “x” marks the location of the bed in which Lincoln died.

Congressman Henry Riggs Rathbone and Osborn Oldroyd Original Source: National Park Service-Ford's Theatre National Historic Site

In 1926, Congressman Henry Riggs Rathbone (R-Ill.), son of Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris, who were Lincoln’s guests the night of the assassination, arranged for the government to purchase Oldroyd’s collection for $50,000. Many of the items were then moved into the newly created Lincoln Museum inside the former Ford’s Theatre.

Petersen House Front Parlor after 1959 Restoration (circa 1959) by Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service Original Source: Library of Congress, HABS DC,WASH,505--3

Restoration, 1932-2009

The Petersen House underwent three renovations between 1932 and 1959. Initially five women’s patriotic organizations were in charge of the renovation. They modeled their plans on examples of Civil War-era middle-class homes. The Department of Interior intervened in 1944-1945 and 1958-1959 to make the house more historically accurate.

The Interior Department decided to renovate the Petersen House to its appearance on the night of the assassination. Using photographs and drawings from Lincoln’s last night, those involved were able to produce a historically accurate restoration. Oldroyd brought the sofa at left from Lincoln’s family home in Springfield.

Room in which President Lincoln Died, after 1959 restoration (circa 1959) by Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service Original Source: Library of Congress, HABS DC,WASH,505--4

Thanks to the many images of this room that were produced following the assassination, those in charge of the restoration were able to obtain similar furnishings.

While standing in the death room, Dorothy Kunhardt, a Lincoln photograph collector (and author of the children’s classic "Pat the Bunny") holds a framed copy of Julius Ulke’s photograph of that very room from nearly a hundred years earlier.

Petersen House and Center for Education and Leadership (2012) by Maxwell MacKenzie Ford's Theatre

Present Day

Today the Petersen House entices many visitors who wish to deepen their understanding of Lincoln’s assassination by seeing the room in which he died. From there, people can visit the adjoining Center for Education and Leadership, which explores the assassination aftermath and President Lincoln’s legacy. 

Ford’s Theatre Society purchased the 10-story building next to the Petersen House and in 2012 opened the Center for Education and Leadership, which explores the aftermath of the assassination and Lincoln’s impact on the world. Museum exhibitions focus on Lincoln’s funeral, the capture and prosecution of his killers, and his evolving legacy.

Exhibition Developer: Anna Snyder, Digital Public History Intern Exhibition Manager: David McKenzie, Digital Projects Manager Editors: Sarah Jencks, Director of Educational Programming Tracey Avant, Curator of Exhibitions Liza Lorenz, Director of Communications and Marketing

The Lincoln Assassination

Abraham lincoln funeral train, history of ford's theatre, a christmas carol at ford's theatre, lincoln assassination conspirators, virtual tour of ford's theatre.

• Watch and Listen

The Petersen House is known as the place where President Lincoln died. But have you ever wondered about the people who lived there? Ford’s Education introduces you to the people who lived at the boarding house and their neighbors. Learn how the house beca

This virtual program is 45 minutes and includes time for Q&A. Designed with 5th-12th graders in mind. Appropriate for anyone who is already familiar with the story of the assassination of President Lincoln, and who wants to learn more about wartime Washington and the people who lived in the Petersen House.

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Petersen House: The Complete Guide

The D.C. landmark where President Abraham Lincoln spent his final hours

Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images 

Petersen House

An unassuming boarding house earned a spot in the history books as the place where President Abraham Lincoln spent his very last hours. The Petersen House, also known as the house where Lincoln died, is now part of the National Park Service and Ford’s Theatre Society , and visitors can step inside to experience the place where Lincoln took his final breath.

History of the Petersen House

Located at 516 10th Street NW in downtown D.C., the National Park Service recounts the story of the Petersen House, which was once owned by William and Anna Petersen. William worked as a tailor and the couple took in boarders to earn extra money. On the evening of April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln while the president was watching a performance from the Presidential Box at Ford’s Theatre. 

Because of the severity of Lincoln's injury, he was carried across the street to a back bedroom in the Petersen House where he was cared for by doctors, who realized they couldn't save him. Meanwhile, a crowd gathered outside to hold a vigil for the fallen president. Lincoln was attended to by his wife Mary Lincoln and government officials. The makeshift situation required Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to turn a back parlor into an interrogation room in order to apprehend the president's murderer. It was in the Petersen House that Lincoln passed away at 7:22 a.m., April 15, 1865.

The home eventually became a private Lincoln museum, then was purchased by the NPS in 1933. It underwent restoration several times — most recently with a renovation in 2017 to add historically accurate wallpapers and furniture and modern fire protection. The three rooms in the house today are furnished in 1865 period pieces, according to the NPS .

Highlights to See in the Petersen House

To get an in-depth feel for the history of the house, download Ford’s Theatre Society's New Voices of Petersen House TimeLooper app on your phone. It's an immersive tour to supplement your experience: you'll see interactive photographs and get first-person accounts from witnesses who were there when Lincoln was on his deathbed.

How To Visit

A visit to the Petersen House is included in Ford’s Theatre "historic site" ticket. You can reserve tickets in advance for a $3 convenience fee: click here to pick out your date and time for your visit. There are a few same-day free tickets you can pick up. Just know that Ford's Theatre is a popular tourist destination. According to the historical organization, same-day tickets often run out by 9 a.m. during the spring and summer months when tourism is at its peak. So reserving ahead could be your best bet.

The Petersen House is self-guided, and a visit usually takes 20 minutes. The line for entry gets long in the summer, but it also moves quickly. Timed-entry tickets are available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and you can arrive 10 minutes before your entry time. The Petersen House is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Luggage and oversized bags aren't allowed.

What To See and Do Nearby

While you're at Petersen House, you'll definitely want to go across the street to Ford’s Theatre , the site of Lincoln's assassination and a current working theater in the nation's capital. The Ford's Theatre Society complex includes a Center for Education and Leadership with two floors of permanent exhibits about the aftermath of Lincoln's death and his evolving legacy. There's also a museum devoted to Lincoln's presidency with displays of artifacts related to the assassination. Click here for a photo tour of Ford's Theatre.

Petersen House and Ford’s Theatre serve as a great jumping-off point to many other tourist attractions in Washington. The Renwick Gallery is nearby, as is the National Portrait Gallery & Smithsonian American Art Museum in bustling Penn Quarter. Then of course, there's the White House , which is only about a 15-minute walk from the Petersen House. It's easy to hop in a cab or take a long walk to the National Mall and its Smithsonian museums from here as well.

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Room in which President Lincoln died

The third stop on the tour of Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site is the Peterson House, the home that President Lincoln was carried to after being shot at Ford’s Theatre around 10 PM on April 14, 1865. It is here that he died nine hours later. You will need your ticket to enter.

Peterson House

After Lincoln was shot, it was determined that he should not be transported to the White House, as a carriage ride would be much too bumpy. He was carried out of the theater and taken across the street to a house owned by William Peterson after someone was heard shouting to bring the President inside. The Petersons were running a boarding house at the time, and Lincoln was taken to a back room occupied by William Clark.

If a president died in your house, you’d be selling tickets the next day, but this was not the case back in the 1860s. The Petersons got so tired of gawkers coming around that they eventually moved, taking all of their furniture and belongings with them other than the bed on which Lincoln died and some of the items in the bedroom. These were purchased by Charles Gunther and are now in the Chicago History Museum. Thus, none of the furnishings in the house are original, but they are actual antiques or accurate reproductions. I would imagine the house and room were photographed quite thoroughly, so the furnishings and decor should be fairly accurate. The interior layout has never been modified, so unlike Ford’s Theatre, you are standing in the real deal. The room where Lincoln died is blocked off, but you can look in through the doorway.

Parlor room of the Peterson House

Bedroom in the Peterson House

Reproduction of the bed on which Abraham Lincoln died

As with Ford’s Theatre, there’s not much to do at the Peterson House other than take a quick look around at the three rooms that are open to the public and perhaps ask a few questions of the park Ranger on duty. If you have rented an Acoustiguide, an audio device on which a narrator guides you through Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site, there are three segments pertaining to the house. You are asked to listen to them before entering because the Peterson House is very small and there is no room for people to hang around for fifteen minutes while listening to a recording.

When done, exit the house out of the back porch and follow the sign to an elevator that will take you to a museum on the fourth floor of the Center for Education and Leadership (the two buildings are connected together). This museum, which is the last stop on the tour, focuses on the aftermath of the assassination and the hunt for John Wilkes Booth and his cohorts.

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Peterson's Boarding House

Gleaves Whitney , Grand Valley State University Follow

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This is the small room where Lincoln died. It is barely larger than many walk-in closets.

Photos and text © Gleaves Whitney 2005

Since May 26, 2011

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