Petersen Boarding House
Petersen Boarding House
Petersen Boarding House
4.5
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- Metro Center • 4 min walk
- Federal Triangle • 5 min walk
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- MstqMI1,292 contributionsGo after visiting Ford's TheaterA tour of the Peterson House is included in tickets to tour Ford's Theater. From the theater, just go across the street to Peterson House. The house was very interesting, especially to see the bed that President Lincoln died in. My husband & I love history so visiting both of these places was a must.Visited May 2023Written May 19, 2023
- 2babesandabrewPensacola, Florida279 contributions2 babes and a brewWe were greeted at the door by a heavy set gentleman who sat at the door and bellowed out his B- speech. Also someone needs to DUST AND clean. The new addition was very nice and we enjoyed it.Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten June 20, 2023
- Josh GPortland, Indiana632 contributionsDefinitely do when you do the Ford's TheatreJust an amazing stop! They had the room lincoln died in, as well as a lot of things that were included in his death. They also had a really cool spot to as what would happen if Lincoln had lived... It was a really cool stop! I am glad we did it...Visited July 2023Traveled with familyWritten July 29, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
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Josh G
Portland, IN632 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Just an amazing stop! They had the room lincoln died in, as well as a lot of things that were included in his death. They also had a really cool spot to as what would happen if Lincoln had lived... It was a really cool stop! I am glad we did it...
Written July 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maurene_K
Dover, NH10,904 contributions
Sep 2014 • Friends
Most people remember from American History class that President was shot at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865 by actor John Wilkes Booth. Few remember that Lincoln died at Petersen House, the boarding house across the street, on April 15, 1865 after doctors operated to save him in a back bedroom.
Admission for the tour of Petersen House is free, but one must get a timed-entry ticket at the Ford’s Theatre box office. It also provides admission to Ford’s Theatre which one tours first.
This attraction has three rooms on the tour:
1) The front living room is where Mary Lincoln spent most of the night awaiting word on her husband’s condition and being comforted by her son Robert Todd Lincoln.
2) The bed in the back bedroom was not big enough for Lincoln. They had lay him at an angle across the bed. After removing a blood clot to relieve pressure, all doctors could do was to make him comfortable. He died at 7:22 AM the next morning surrounded by his doctors, cabinet members, and his son Robert.
3) The third room is the back parlor where Secretary of War Edwin Stanton began his investigation into the assassination and ordered Booth’s arrest. The room contained a desk, bed, and small table with two chairs.
The tour was very informative. It contained details not found in the average history book.
I recommend a visit to this attraction and the related Ford’s Theatre as one of a DC visitor’s Top 10 Priorities.
If you found this review helpful, kindly click YES below.
Admission for the tour of Petersen House is free, but one must get a timed-entry ticket at the Ford’s Theatre box office. It also provides admission to Ford’s Theatre which one tours first.
This attraction has three rooms on the tour:
1) The front living room is where Mary Lincoln spent most of the night awaiting word on her husband’s condition and being comforted by her son Robert Todd Lincoln.
2) The bed in the back bedroom was not big enough for Lincoln. They had lay him at an angle across the bed. After removing a blood clot to relieve pressure, all doctors could do was to make him comfortable. He died at 7:22 AM the next morning surrounded by his doctors, cabinet members, and his son Robert.
3) The third room is the back parlor where Secretary of War Edwin Stanton began his investigation into the assassination and ordered Booth’s arrest. The room contained a desk, bed, and small table with two chairs.
The tour was very informative. It contained details not found in the average history book.
I recommend a visit to this attraction and the related Ford’s Theatre as one of a DC visitor’s Top 10 Priorities.
If you found this review helpful, kindly click YES below.
Written September 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Morgan Arthur
South Charleston, WV55 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
Very interesting place to visit. Right across from Fords. Gotta have ticket from Fords in order to view the house.
Written July 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DeanMurphy2020
Orlando, FL7,548 contributions
May 2014 • Solo
This attraction seems to be misnamed, though it was called Petersen’s Boarding House on April 14, 1865 when President Lincoln attended a play at Ford’s Theatre across the street—and where John Wilkes Booth fired a fatal shot into the President’s head. A boarding house, for younger folks who don’t know the concept, is a large house where people rented rooms, and shared a common bath and “parlor,” not unlike a B&B but on a long-term basis. The President was brought here for medical attention. But this is “the house where Lincoln died” a few hours later, on April 15. Across from and part of Ford’s Theatre, this attraction is maintained by National Park Service, thus Park Rangers are guides. Too, the accompanying photo depicts a Park Ranger standing behind a sign that has HOUSE WHERE LINCOLN DIED, not Petersen’s. Perhaps that’s why this is ranked 59 of 253 DC attractions—no one is sure of the name! This should be one of the top ten DC attractions, if TripAdvisor used the name National Park Service does.
A rose by any other name… Whatever you call it, this magnificently maintained museum retains everything in the room President Lincoln spent his final hours, and the chairs in which his family and cabinet members sat. The small bed for a great man seems woefully inadequate, and in fact Lincoln was laid diagonally on the bed, because of his height. The room is approximately 11x16 feet, and the entire house is filled with memorabilia and more facts than can be retained. On the 4th floor the hallway has a replica of prints made by humans, horses, and wagons, as though this were the dirt street used to bring Lincoln from Ford’s Theatre. Throughout the museum visitors read little known facts. It’s known that John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln, jumped from the balcony at Ford’s, and broke his leg. Dr. Samuel Mudd mended Booth’s leg, and in an investigation lied that he did not know Booth personally or that he had shot the President. Mudd was convicted of conspiracy and not informing authorities that he treated someone who broke his leg at the time the assassin was known to have done so, thus the expression “His name is Mudd” came to represent anyone who associates with scoundrels. (Booth was captured 12 days later.)
As a writer, I found the circular tower of books surrounded by a spiral staircase most impressive. This “Book Tower” contains more than 20,000 books written about President Lincoln. Make that titles of books, as there’s only one of each. This impressive collection--representing more than a BILLION words--is a true memorial to a great man and wise president. There are far too many details to recite in this limited space. That is why I recommend Petersen’s/House Where Lincoln Died to be a must-see attraction.
A rose by any other name… Whatever you call it, this magnificently maintained museum retains everything in the room President Lincoln spent his final hours, and the chairs in which his family and cabinet members sat. The small bed for a great man seems woefully inadequate, and in fact Lincoln was laid diagonally on the bed, because of his height. The room is approximately 11x16 feet, and the entire house is filled with memorabilia and more facts than can be retained. On the 4th floor the hallway has a replica of prints made by humans, horses, and wagons, as though this were the dirt street used to bring Lincoln from Ford’s Theatre. Throughout the museum visitors read little known facts. It’s known that John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln, jumped from the balcony at Ford’s, and broke his leg. Dr. Samuel Mudd mended Booth’s leg, and in an investigation lied that he did not know Booth personally or that he had shot the President. Mudd was convicted of conspiracy and not informing authorities that he treated someone who broke his leg at the time the assassin was known to have done so, thus the expression “His name is Mudd” came to represent anyone who associates with scoundrels. (Booth was captured 12 days later.)
As a writer, I found the circular tower of books surrounded by a spiral staircase most impressive. This “Book Tower” contains more than 20,000 books written about President Lincoln. Make that titles of books, as there’s only one of each. This impressive collection--representing more than a BILLION words--is a true memorial to a great man and wise president. There are far too many details to recite in this limited space. That is why I recommend Petersen’s/House Where Lincoln Died to be a must-see attraction.
Written September 27, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mlorahga
Augusta, GA1,493 contributions
Nov 2019
This is the boarding house where Lincoln was taken after being shot. He subsequently died here. It is now a museum to the events of the day and the aftermath. Incredibly powerful!!!
Written September 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Prawet J
Washington DC, DC13,366 contributions
Sep 2019
The Petersen Boarding House is located across the street from the Ford's Theatre, and this is the place where President Lincoln spent the last few hours. It is part of the Ford's Theater Museum. Visitors will see the historic house and room and other detail information of the assessination and the manhunt. A very solem and moving place to learn about this piece of history. Next door building (connected to the house) is the Educational and Leadership Center. Worth an explor to learn how influential President Lincoln to Americans and others around the world. It is free but the ticket must be obtian at the Ford's Theater box office (the same ticket to the Ford's Theater Museum.
Written September 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SabreSailor
New York423 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
We thought that the Peterson House would be a small follow-on to Ford's Theatre.
No way! While the first portion, showing the room where Lincoln died and the forward rooms where many sat and waited (all the original furniture is gone), is seen quickly and honestly unimpressively, you then take an elevator to the fourth floor of the adjacent building where you end up seeing four floors of fascinating material. I'll be we spent over an hour on these four floors!
No way! While the first portion, showing the room where Lincoln died and the forward rooms where many sat and waited (all the original furniture is gone), is seen quickly and honestly unimpressively, you then take an elevator to the fourth floor of the adjacent building where you end up seeing four floors of fascinating material. I'll be we spent over an hour on these four floors!
Written April 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steven P
Pueblo, CO3,812 contributions
Dec 2018 • Solo
Located across the street from Ford's Theatre this house is where the President was carried after being shot. He died here the following morning. The furnishings are accurate for the time but not original.
Written December 11, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Becky V
Norcross, GA338 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
The Peterson boarding house has the room where Lincoln died after being shot in Ford's theatre. There is also a lincoln museum in the same building. This museum is much larger than it used to be. Lot's of interesting exhibits. I liked this one better than Ford's theater. The art piece of staked books in the exit lobby is awesome.
Written September 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
QueenBee
Manchester, Greater Manchester, England199 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
So this is where Lincoln actually died after he was shot. He was carried here and taken in by the Petersen's. It's a really good walk through of the events of that night, and the final capture of his assassins. But the real prize is the tower of all the books that have ever been written on Lincoln and the journey down the staircase, the middle of which are the books. It's really amazing. The small but thoughtful gift store is a real treat too.
Written July 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy
Prattville, AL28 contributions
Is there parking there or should I get a prepaid parking garage ticket?
JohnBCowgill
Washington DC, DC806 contributions
Not for the house itself. There are parking garages, but they are not cheap. If you are will to walk a long distance, you can find free parking on Sundays.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Petersen Boarding House
- Hotels near Petersen Boarding House:
- (0.11 mi) Riggs Washington DC
- (0.08 mi) Hotel Harrington
- (0.21 mi) Waldorf Astoria Washington DC
- (0.21 mi) Grand Hyatt Washington
- (0.21 mi) Washington Marriott at Metro Center
- Restaurants near Petersen Boarding House:
- (0.01 mi) GRK Fresh Greek
- (0.02 mi) Lincoln's Waffle Shop
- (0.03 mi) Hard Rock Cafe
- (0.03 mi) Qdoba Mexican Grill
- (0.09 mi) Ristorante TOSCA
Petersen Boarding House Information
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