Surratt House
Museum A PAGE IN AMERICAN HISTORY
JANUARY – DECEMBER 2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
istoric Surratt House has national significance due to its role in the dramatic events surrounding the Lincoln assassination conspiracy. Built for the Surratt family in 1852, the house served not only as their home, but Mary Surratt as a tavern, public dining room, and hotel for traveling gentlemen. Outside, the house was the focal point of a 300-acre plantation. A livery stable and nearby blacksmith shop serviced travelers; and in 1854, a post office was added to the tavern, serving the new area of “Surrattsville� with Mr. Surratt serving as postmaster until his death in 1862. The tavern was also the official polling place for the Ninth Election District, created in 1854. In the fall of 1864, tragedy began to hit the Surratts. Faced with financial difficulties, Mary Surratt rented her country home and moved to 541 H Street in Washington. Here she opened a boardinghouse. Her oldest son was in the Confederate Army, and her youngest had become a Confederate courier. He was recruited by John Wilkes Booth into a plot to kidnap President Lincoln. Various conspirators, including Booth, frequented the boardinghouse; and weapons and supplies were stored at the Surrattsville home. When the kidnap plotfailed, Booth turned to asassination, stopping at Surratt House to retrieve the weapons and supplies. In the ensuing
federal dragnet, Mary Surratt was arrested, tried, and convicted as a conspirator. While her son fled the country, she was sent to the gallows. Her guilt or innocence continues to be hotly debated. A visit to Surratt House in present-day Clinton, Maryland, relives this tragic history.
Waiting to guide you through historic Surratt House will be docents in authentic dress of the 1860s. These guides are members of The Surratt Society, a volunteer affiliate of the museum with worldwide membership. The Society presents a wide range of unique special events and exhibits, portraying the cultural history of the mid-19th century. For further information on tours and special events, or to become a member of The Surratt Society, please call 301-868-1121. The Surratt Society offers bus tours over the John Wilkes Booth escape route in April and September each year. Reservations are required.
COVER PHOTO: BUDDY SECOR
Surratt House Calendar
of
Events
Museum
Januar y – December 2016
The Full Story: Maryland, The Surratts, and the Crime of the Century—An Exhibition J anuary 13– D ecember 11 W ednesdays – F ridays , 11 am – 3 pm S aturdays & S undays , 12 noon – 4 pm Tours through historic Surratt House are summarized at the end with an exhibit reflecting the role of Maryland in the conflict, the choices made by the Surratt family, and the after-effects on the family and the nation. Regular tour admission price. No reservations required.
Civil War Soul Sisters: Civil War Era African American Women Who Published S aturday , F ebruary 27, 4
pm
Biographies, essays, autobiographies, cookbooks, children’s books, poetry, and speeches—over seventy-five published works by African American women during the Civil War, an era when it was illegal for the vast majority of black Americans to learn to read or write. Lavonda Broadnax, a digital project coordinator with the Library of Congress, will speak on the accomplishments of these women. Free. Arrive early, limited seating.
Through the Eyes (and Pen) of Julia Wilbur S aturday , M arch 19, 4
pm
In 1862, Julia Wilbur came to Alexandria, Virginia, as a relief worker on behalf of the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society. She started out with no clear idea of what she would do or where she would live. What led her to come, a woman alone in the midst of the Civil War? What did she try to accomplish and with whom? And how do we know? Paula Tarnapol Whitacre discovered excerpts from Wilbur’s pocket diaries while doing research on Union hospitals in Alexandria. She has since transcribed, annotated, and written an introduction for a book on this revealing set of diaries. Free. Arrive early, limited seating.
Seventeenth Annual Symposium Lincoln Assassination Studies: New Faces & Fresh Perspectives A pril 8 –10 What is new to learn about the people and events surrounding the Crime of the Century? Hear what current researchers and authors in the field have to say. What spurs new generations into further studies? Who were some of those who were touched outside the spotlight of the key players? How grand was Booth’s plan? Also included are off-site bus tours and a dinner program. Reservation and payment required in advance. Cost: $175/person—bus tours priced separately.
John Wilkes Booth Escape Route Tours S aturdays , A pril 16, 23, & 30, 7
am
–7
pm
Follow the trail of President Lincoln’s assassin from Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. to his death near Port Royal, Virginia. Relax and enjoy the history and scenery on this 12-hour, fully narrated bus tour. Reservation and payment required in advance. Cost: $85/person.
Forty Years of Keeping History Alive S unday , M ay 1, 12
noon
–4
pm
Join in the festivities as Surratt House Museum marks its 40th Anniversary as a public house museum. Free tours of the historic house, visitors’ center, and research center. Refreshments and gift shop sales.
Chillin’ While Colored: 19th-Century African American Places of Leisure S aturday , M ay 14, 4
pm
Independent historian and community outreach coordinator for the District of Columbia Office of Planning’s Historic Preservation Division, Patsy Fletcher will explore four types of vacation leisure places enjoyed by African Americans in the 19th century with an emphasis on specific sites in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Free. Arrive early, limited seating.
Explore What’s New in Gettysburg T uesday , J une 7, 8
am – 6 pm
Surratt House is on the road again in search of new and fascinating places to visit. Sometimes what is old is new again. Join us as we visit the new museums of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and enjoy lunch at the Historic Dobbin House Restaurant. Reservation and payment required in advance. Cost: $90/person
From Belles to Battleaxes: Women of Civil War Richmond S aturday , A ugust 13, 4
pm
Kelly Hancock, Education Program Coordinator at the Museum of the Confederacy, shares the stories of the daring spies, devoted nurses, star-crossed lovers, and captivating socialites of Civil War Richmond— women from across the South who all ended up in the capital of the Confederacy. Free. Arrive early, limited seating.
John Wilkes Booth Escape Route Tours S aturdays , S eptember 10, 17 & 24, 7
am
–7
pm
Follow the trail of President Lincoln’s assassin from Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. to his death near Port Royal, Virginia. Relax and enjoy the history and scenery on this 12-hour, fully narrated bus tour. Reservation and payment required in advance. Cost: $85/per person
When Words Fail, Music Speaks S aturday , O ctober 8, 4
pm
During our most difficult times, it is music that truly reflects our inner-most feelings. Learn how the four years of the American Civil War can be heard simply in the music of that era. Listen to the Susquehanna Travellers as they expertly play songs that echo the emotions of the time. Free. Arrive early, limited seating.
The 54th Massachusetts, After Glory S aturday , N ovember 5, 4
pm
After four years of fighting, the Civil War finally comes to an end, and the soldiers return home. But what about the men who had the most to risk—the United States Colored Troops? Join Bernie Siler, a member of the current 54th Massachusetts, as he discusses the personal lives and legacy of the USCT. Free. Arrive early, limited seating.
May the Merry Bells Keep Ringing, Happy Holidays to You! N ovember 30 – D ecember 11 W ednesdays –F ridays , 11 am – 3 pm S aturdays & S undays , 12 noon – 4
pm
Share the love of the holidays with your local museum family amid period decorations, special exhibits, treats, and seasonal histories. Receive a holiday discount in the museum shop and sample cider and cookies. Special activities to be announced. Regular tour admission.
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Surratt House Museum
9118 Brandywine Road, Clinton, Maryland 20735 Directions: From the Capital Beltway (I-95) take Exit 7A, Branch Avenue/Route 5 South. Follow Branch Avenue 3.5 miles and bear right onto Woodyard Road (Route 223). At the end of the exit ramp, turn right and go one mile to the second traffic light. Turn left onto Brandywine Road. Surratt House will be immediately on your left. Follow the fence line to the visitors’ center parking lot. Tours begin inside the visitors’ center. Walk-in Tours Available with Costumed Guides January 13–December 11, 2016 Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays, 11 am –3 pm* Saturdays & Sundays, 12 noon– 4 pm* * Curriculum-based school tours and programs available by appointment. Admission Fees Adults $3, Seniors $2, Children $1 (subject to change) Gift Shop open during tour hours. James O. Hall Research Center available by appointment 301-868-6185 Information 301-868-1121; TTY 301-699-2544 www.pgparks.com Ask about our special, off-site bus tours to places of interest along the East Coast, theatre trips, etc.
The Department of Parks and Recreation encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Register at least a minimum of two weeks in advance of the program start date to request and receive a disability accommodation. Surratt House Museum is owned and operated by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Natural and Historical Resources Division. PPC-PR-NHRD-11/2016