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Abraham Lincoln funeral train ivy

 Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: L616

Scope and Contents

This collection includes a framed piece of ivy from Lincoln's casket while in Indianapolis, Indiana during the funeral train.

Dates

  • 1865/04/30

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Biographical Note

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States from 1861 to 1865. While he was in office he abolished slavery and preserved the United States by leading the Union to successfully win the U.S. Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was shot in the back of the head by actor and Confederate-sympathizer John Wilkes Boot at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865. The president died of his injury the following morning.

The funeral train called "The Lincoln Special" carried Lincoln's body from Washington, D.C. to his hometown of Springfield, Illinois. The train travelled from April 21 to May 3, 1865 and stopped in major cities along the way for citizens to mourn and pay their respects, arriving in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 30, 1865. The casket was borne by procession to the Indiana Statehouse where the president laid in state in the Rotunda bedecked in evergreens and black and white fabrics. 100,000 mourners of all ages paid their respects throughout the day until 10 p.m. when the casket began the trek back to the train, which departed at 1:00 a.m. to continue its journey west.

Sources:

IndyStar, . Accessed May 21, 2021. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2018/04/30/newspapers-accounts-day-lincolns-funeral-train-passed-through-indiana/563913002.

Extent

0.3 Cubic Feet (1 small index card box)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection contains one item.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as donation by Alta Jean Widvey on March 15, 1988.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Related Archival Material

Materials relating to this collection may be found in the following collections in Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN:

S1170: Collection on Abraham Lincoln

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2015/12/14 by Bethany Fiechter. EAD finding aid created 2015/12/14 by Bethany Fiechter.
Title
Abraham Lincoln funeral train ivy
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671