St. John's Episcopal Church on Lafayette Sq.

[Jim Garrett]

On of my favorite spots in Washington is St. John's Episcopal Church at the corner of 16th and H Streets NW. Not only did Lincoln regularly attend services here, every president since James Madison has attended services here. In the back right corner is the "Lincoln Pew". The church has meticulously kept records and the pew there is the actual pew that Abraham Lincoln sat in. Most times they have a rope across the pew, but on occasion, not. I believe this may be the only place where you can actually sit where AL sat,

[RJNorton]

Thanks for posting this information, Jim.

Here is a photo of the pew:

https://theird.files.wordpress.com/2012/...ns-pew.jpg

I do not know if there are other pews, chairs, etc. where one can sit where Abraham Lincoln sat. But forum member Dr. Blaine Houmes owns a rocker where Mary Lincoln sat. It was in Mary's room when she was at Bellevue Place in 1875. In an article for The Rail Splitter Blaine writes that he is careful whom he allows to sit in it.

[Jim Garrett]

The pews date to around 1843. President John Tyler rented pew 58 in perpetuity so every president would have a place to sit. They have embroidered kneeling cushions with the great seal and names of the presidents. The church is absolutely beautiful and has changed very little since the 1880's.

The rectory directly behind the church was the British Consulate where Lord Ashburton and Daniel Webster worked out the boundary between Canada and the United States.