Ford's Theatre to Reopen

[Dennis Urban]

The 1963 book by the National Park Service, Restoration of Ford's Theatre, contains detailed interior drawings of all floors of the building. The first floor plan, page 74, shows this "passage" with it's door from the stage, a rear exterior door into Baptist Alley, a door into Tultavul's, and the door to 10th Street. The four-foot wide passageway is described as "neatly paved and papered" and the stage door which opened inward to the passageway is described as "glass windowed". The inward opening door into the Star measures about twelve feet from the small door exiting to 10th Street. The description does not mention locks on any of these doors. The drawing also depicts four descending stairs just beyond the stage door to access the passageway. This access to the Star directly from the stage must have been popular with the actors during intermissions and at other times while waiting to take the stage.