Fun Facts

The Lincoln funeral car was originally his presidential RR car, which he never rode in until his death. It was built by the US Military Railroads and was modified to carry the coffin of Lincoln, and his son, Willie’s coffin from DC to Springfield.

By military order, the Lincoln funeral train was to consist of no less than 9 cars, including the funeral car, Officers car, 6 passenger cars & 1 baggage car.

Lincoln is the only president to have obtained a patent. After being aboard a steamboat that ran aground on low shoals and had to unload its cargo, Lincoln, who loved tinkering with machines, designed a method for keeping vessels afloat when traversing shallow waters through the use of empty metal air chambers attached to their sides. For his design, Lincoln obtained Patent No. 6,469 in 1849.

Lincoln Fact of the Day: Lincoln never slept in the Lincoln Bedroom. When he occupied the White House, the 16th president used the current Lincoln Bedroom as his personal office. It was there that he met with Cabinet members and signed documents, including the Emancipation Proclamation. (photo via http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/)

Lincoln was shot at—and almost killed— nearly two years before he was assassinated. Late one August evening in 1863, after an exhausting day at the White House, Lincoln rode alone by horse to the Soldiers’ Home, his family’s summer residence. A private at the gate heard a shot ring out and, moments later, the horse galloped into the compound, with a bareheaded Lincoln clinging to his steed. Lincoln explained that a gunshot had gone off at the foot of the hill, sending the horse galloping so fast it knocked his hat off. Two soldiers retrieved Lincoln’s hat, which had a bullet hole right through it. The president asked the guards to keep the incident under wraps: He didn’t want to worry his wife Mary.

The Gettysburg Address was 272 words, and lasted about three minutes.

At the St. Johnsonville meal stop, 125 passengers ate at a local restaurant called Colonel Cook’s. 24 women from the area’s wealthiest families came to the restaurant to serve the passengers, and then were able to have an inside tour of the train cars. These meal stops were important since they gave the passengers a chance to eat a real meal.

One of the newspapers reported that during the 12 day, 1700-1800 mile journey the funeral car made from Washington D.C. to Chicago, there were no accidents. Pretty remarkable for such a long journey and without many of the safety features we have today…

On the way to Springfield, the funeral train made a long stop in Lincoln, Illinois, a town named after Abraham Lincoln, who was an attorney for the town founders. The town made an arch that had a picture of Lincoln and his famous quote, “with malice to none, with charity for all.” (photo courtesy of www.lincolnhall.illinois.edu)

Coming soon…