President Lincoln’s Cottage Tour (Members Only)

Carol Highsmith, Library of Congress, 2010. 

DC Preservation League Members are invited to join us on Wednesday, March 16th at 2:00pm for an in-person tour of President Lincoln’s Cottage, a National Monument and contributing site to the Armed Forces Retirement Home Historic District.

Originally built in 1842-43 as the summer cottage of banker George Washington Riggs, the site has served as a retreat for at least four U.S. presidents and a retirement home for generations of American veterans since the United States government purchased it in 1851. From 1862-1864, the Cottage served as President Abraham Lincoln’s summer retreat and where he worked on the Emancipation Proclamation. The site was declared a National Monument in 2000 and reopened as President Lincoln’s Cottage in 2008, following a restoration project led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that returned it to its Civil War appearance.

Senior Preservationist Jeffrey Larry will discuss the history of the Cottage and its connection to the Soldiers Home as well as some recent preservation projects happening at the site. He will then accompany attendees to provide additional insight as they take the regular tour of the Cottage.

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This is a DCPL Members-only event. Note that you need to be signed in to your Neon account in order to successfully register. Not a member? Become one here or during registration.

Jeff Larry joined the staff at President Lincoln’s Cottage as Preservation Manager in January 2008. He started his career as sole-proprietor of a restoration business in Burlington, Vermont soon after receiving a BA in Historic Preservation from Mary Washington College in 1996.  After moving to Washington D.C., he completed projects on several local historic homes and sites, including the Decatur House and the south porch of The Old Naval Hospital, a building commissioned by Abraham Lincoln in 1864 to be the District’s first naval hospital. In addition to his work at the Cottage, Jeff uses his preservation and project management skills to bring improvements to his community in Baltimore.  He serves on the Board of the Charles Village Community Foundation, an organization that provides grants for groups and individuals whose projects will enhance the neighborhood’s quality of life; he is the Vice President of the Friends of the 26th Street Corridor, a community lead group that has been working with the city to turn a section of 26th street into a park; and he is a volunteer member of the Village Learning Place’s (VLP) Facilities Committee where he has performed pro-bono restoration work, developed a cyclical maintenance plan and managed numerous restoration projects to the slate roof, brickwork, interior surfaces, and gardens. To learn more about Jeff and his work check out his Instagram page at @preserveandrestore and his preservation blog on the President Lincoln’s Cottage website.

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Note on Accessibility: The Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center is accessible by the east entrance ramp. All exhibits and visitor restrooms are on the first floor of the Center. The Cottage is accessible by a grade entrance, elevator, and wheel chair lift. Hearing enhancement and ASL tour devices are also available upon request.

COVID Safety Requirements: The safety of our guests is of the utmost importance to us and for this reason, DCPL policy requires that all participants be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination will be required upon arrival at the event.  Vaccination card or picture of card will be accepted. Masks are also required for this event, regardless of vaccination status.

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March “Monuments and Memorials” events are generously sponsored by Edwin Fountain.