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Eva Elisabeth · 09-30-2014, 06:11 PM

(09-29-2014 05:35 PM)L Verge Wrote: It creates a "You Are There" feeling. A recent book that did the same thing for me was Tom Bogar's Backstage....

I absolutely second this! And of all Lincoln (-related) audiobooks I like this the best (even more than my very favorite Donald "Lincoln" bio), it's the most suitable and fascinating to listen to.

wpbinzel · 10-07-2014, 11:30 AM

(09-29-2014 05:35 PM)L Verge Wrote: It creates a "You Are There" feeling. A recent book that did the same thing for me was Tom Bogar's Backstage....

Tom - Laurie, Eva and Heath are quite correct. Your book is brilliant and a must-read (and a very enjoyable-read) for anyone who is interested in Lincoln's assassination and understanding the setting in which it occurred. The kudos are well deserved.

L Verge · 11-27-2014, 12:45 PM

Time for an update because our Surratt conference is proving even more popular than usual. We are approaching 100 registrants just three weeks after the packets went in the mail on November 3. More importantly, both the Friday bus tour to the Smithsonian and a matinee at Ford's Theatre as well as the Sunday Booth Tour with guest narrator James Swanson are filled and have waiting lists.

Fear not, however, we try our best to please our customers. We are back in contact with The Ford's Theatre Society to see if we can get permission to run a second bus on the Sunday tour. Besides the narration of Mr. Swanson, the Sunday tour is unique in that our group will be allowed to see the special exhibit of Lincoln-assassination memorabilia before it opens to the general public. We had already agreed to pay for extra security since we are getting in before hours, and may have to pay more for the extra bus.

The second bus on Sunday is totally contingent upon gaining Ford's permission. We have our wonderful, regular tour narrators who will be contacted once that permission is secured. Since we already have twenty people on the waiting list for that second tour, I hope that the authorities will agree that the public needs to be served.

If permission is given, we will need thirty participants in order to afford the bus and the admission price at the Mudd House. They refuse to offer any of our buses a discount on the tours that we bring to them each year (even though such discounts are standard in the travel industry -- and we generally bring them about 500 visitors each year via our bus tours). We also plan on Bus #2 following about a half-hour behind Bus #1 so that, at various stops, both narrators can mingle with the people and (perhaps) present different viewpoints, handle questions, etc.

Since moving/herding 75-100 people on tour will require a tad more time, we will be bypassing the regular, one-hour tour at Surratt House with both buses. Conference registrants will have ample time on Friday evening to get a relaxed, standard tour of the museum and visitors' center from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in conjunction with the opening reception.

So keep your fingers crossed for us getting permission from The Ford's Theatre Society to proceed with accommodating an additional 30-50 people on our Sunday tour. I'll post as soon as we know one way or the other.

Thomas Kearney · 12-04-2014, 03:05 PM

I'm writing a research paper on Charles Leale. Any chance I could present it at this years conference?

BettyO · 12-04-2014, 04:34 PM

Tom -

Your book is SUPER! I love it and I learned so very, very much. It is an exciting read as well - thanks so very much.... can't wait to see all ya'll!

At least in one way our conference isn't like Comixscon - we don't dress like our favorite Conspirator/character - thank goodness!!!

L Verge · 12-04-2014, 06:30 PM

(12-04-2014 03:05 PM)Thomas Kearney Wrote: I'm writing a research paper on Charles Leale. Any chance I could present it at this years conference?

Our speakers are chosen a year before the conference, so the 2015 line-up has been in place since April of this year. I also have a list of about 8-10 other prospective speakers for 2016.

Send me your credentials and a proposal for your talk, and I'll be happy to add you to the list of potentials for 2016 or 2017. Have you published? Will your topic be able to expand to a 45-50 minute presentation with extra ten minutes for Q&A?

Have you been to http://www.surrattmuseum.org to see what the 2015 sessions consist of?

Wesley Harris · 12-04-2014, 10:56 PM

Getting my registration into the mail tomorrow. Still haven't gotten over having to miss the last one.

L Verge · 12-05-2014, 07:39 PM

We're so glad that situations allow you to make it this year. Wild Bill, Wes is a good Louisiana boy!

It has been a week since we requested permission from Ford's Theatre Society to bring a second Booth Tour bus to see the special exhibit at the Ford's Education Center on Sunday -- no response, but we're still hoping. We have at least 25 on a waiting list now, so if those don't mind that they will not have James Swanson as their narrator, it'll be a go. John Howard, who is one of our regular tour narrators every year (making the trek from New Jersey at least four times and usually more) has already agreed to be the narrator. We also plan to stagger the buses close enough together that participants on both buses can converse at stops with Swanson and Howard. I hope to have good news next week.

L Verge · 12-09-2014, 06:43 PM

(12-05-2014 07:39 PM)L Verge Wrote: We're so glad that situations allow you to make it this year. Wild Bill, Wes is a good Louisiana boy!

It has been a week since we requested permission from Ford's Theatre Society to bring a second Booth Tour bus to see the special exhibit at the Ford's Education Center on Sunday -- no response, but we're still hoping. We have at least 25 on a waiting list now, so if those don't mind that they will not have James Swanson as their narrator, it'll be a go. John Howard, who is one of our regular tour narrators every year (making the trek from New Jersey at least four times and usually more) has already agreed to be the narrator. We also plan to stagger the buses close enough together that participants on both buses can converse at stops with Swanson and Howard. I hope to have good news next week.

We got the good news today! We have permission to run a second Manhunt bus on the Sunday of the Surratt conference. The narrator will be our own John Howard, a member of this forum as well as one of our regular Booth tour narrators each year. John has done 4-5 tours each year for nearly a decade -- very knowledgeable and very personable. If you have been waiting to register until we found out about the second bus, it's a go!

Jim Garrett · 12-12-2014, 08:23 AM

John Howard is one of a handful of people that I've met that can out talk me! He really is one of the top people and he would have to be for Laurie to allow him to conduct the tours. Thumbs up, a good, strong reliable choice who can entertain all on board.

RJNorton · 12-12-2014, 08:36 AM

(12-12-2014 08:23 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote: John Howard is one of a handful of people that I've met that can out talk me! He really is one of the top people and he would have to be for Laurie to allow him to conduct the tours. Thumbs up, a good, strong reliable choice who can entertain all on board.

There are some photos of John "in action" here.

John E. · 01-05-2015, 08:26 PM

Unfortunately, I will not be attending this year's Surratt Conference. I have been asked to take part as a guest speaker at Ft. McNair's 150th anniversary commemoration of the Lincoln Conspirators' trial (May 8 and May 9 of 2015).

As this will be done gratis, I had to make the tough decision to choose one over the other. Its always nice to catch up with friends and I'll miss that the most. I hope its the most successful conference ever and attracts a lot of attention. I can't believe how fast the time has flown by since the last one. Has it really been almost 10 months?

Susan Higginbotham · 01-05-2015, 10:45 PM

(01-05-2015 08:26 PM)John E. Wrote: Unfortunately, I will not be attending this year's Surratt Conference. I have been asked to take part as a guest speaker at Ft. McNair's 150th anniversary commemoration of the Lincoln Conspirators' trial (May 8 and May 9 of 2015).

As this will be done gratis, I had to make the tough decision to choose one over the other. Its always nice to catch up with friends and I'll miss that the most. I hope its the most successful conference ever and attracts a lot of attention. I can't believe how fast the time has flown by since the last one. Has it really been almost 10 months?

Has Ft. McNair announced the details yet? Sounds interesting.

John E. · 01-06-2015, 12:47 AM

(01-05-2015 10:45 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:
(01-05-2015 08:26 PM)John E. Wrote: Unfortunately, I will not be attending this year's Surratt Conference. I have been asked to take part as a guest speaker at Ft. McNair's 150th anniversary commemoration of the Lincoln Conspirators' trial (May 8 and May 9 of 2015).

As this will be done gratis, I had to make the tough decision to choose one over the other. Its always nice to catch up with friends and I'll miss that the most. I hope its the most successful conference ever and attracts a lot of attention. I can't believe how fast the time has flown by since the last one. Has it really been almost 10 months?

Has Ft. McNair announced the details yet? Sounds interesting.

Hi Susan, the folks at Ft. McNair shared a proposed itinerary which shows the courtroom open to the public for tours on Saturday, May 9 from 10-4 pm. Tours will be in 1 hour increments. Please don't write that down in pen as I am sure it may be subject to change.

Susan Higginbotham · 01-06-2015, 01:18 AM

(01-06-2015 12:47 AM)John E. Wrote:
(01-05-2015 10:45 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:
(01-05-2015 08:26 PM)John E. Wrote: Unfortunately, I will not be attending this year's Surratt Conference. I have been asked to take part as a guest speaker at Ft. McNair's 150th anniversary commemoration of the Lincoln Conspirators' trial (May 8 and May 9 of 2015).

As this will be done gratis, I had to make the tough decision to choose one over the other. Its always nice to catch up with friends and I'll miss that the most. I hope its the most successful conference ever and attracts a lot of attention. I can't believe how fast the time has flown by since the last one. Has it really been almost 10 months?

Has Ft. McNair announced the details yet? Sounds interesting.

Hi Susan, the folks at Ft. McNair shared a proposed itinerary which shows the courtroom open to the public for tours on Saturday, May 9 from 10-4 pm. Tours will be in 1 hour increments. Please don't write that down in pen as I am sure it may be subject to change.

Thanks!