If my name ever goes into history, it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it.
— A. Lincoln, 1863Overview of President Lincoln's Cottage
After a $15 million restoration by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private, non-profit organization, President Lincoln's Cottage is open to the public for the first time, giving Americans an intimate, never-before-seen view of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and family life.
Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. All directions, hours, and ticket prices are available here Plan a Visit.
Designated a National Monument by President Clinton in 2000, President Lincoln’s Cottage served as Lincoln’s family residence for a quarter of his presidency and is the most significant historic site directly associated with Lincoln’s presidency aside from the White House. President Lincoln’s Cottage is located on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in northwest Washington, D.C. and has been restored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private, non-profit organization.
In addition to President Lincoln’s Cottage, the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center adjacent to the Cottage, features related exhibits and media presentations. The restoration of President Lincoln’s Cottage and the establishment of the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center took seven years and cost over $15 million.
The next phase of the project will be the establishment of the Center for the Study of the Lincoln Presidency to gather and disseminate scholarship related to Lincoln’s presidency. Plans for the Center include an integrated Web site, teacher training, symposia, and publications.
Designation as a National Historic Landmark
The historic significance of the Soldiers' Home was officially recognized in 1974, when seven buildings built before the Civil War, along with six surrounding acres of land, were designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior. This designation celebrated the role of the Soldiers' Home in the development of American military asylums and recognized the site as the last remaining example of three original military asylums established in 1851. The National Historic Landmark includes buildings and grounds that are outside the area open to visitors of President Lincoln's Cottage.
Designation as a National Monument
On July 7, 2000, President William J. Clinton declared the Lincoln Cottage and 2.3 acres of surrounding land the President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument in honor of the site's notable role in the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Despite the designation as a National Monument, the site is stewarded and operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private, non-profit organization. The President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument is officially known as "President Lincoln's Cottage" today, but maintains its National Monument status.