Jim Garrett and myself have been compiling lists of relics from the assassination. Today he asked me to list the top 10 most important and interesting ones. Off the top of my head I responded:
Booth's pistol, knife, diary, lock of hair and boot.
Lincoln's chair, hat, coat.
Mudd house couch.
Powell's skull.
Lincoln Flag.
Ok, I listed eleven!
Can anyone suggest others to include in a top ten?
Rich, here are two more for consideration:
Lincoln's deathbed (now at the Chicago History Museum)
The carriage that took the Lincolns (plus Clara Harris and Henry Rathbone) to Ford's Theatre (now at the Studebaker National Museum)
Rich, here are a few more for consideration
The bullet that killed Lincoln
The rope and parts of the scaffolding to hang the conspirators.
Clothing or pillows that had Lincoln's blood on them.
Rich and I (mostly Rich) have compiled over 700 pages of material and have now after years on the drawing board, getting down to putting together a relic and artifact book. I will be in Chicago in October and will check out the bed. Traditionally the Chicago History Museum is a tough group to get pictures from. Hopefully they may be easier when both Rich and I approached them years ago.
How about locks of hair?
Hi Roger & Gene. Yes, all of those are definitely worthy of being included in the top ten. I had forgotten about the carriage. I took pics of it when it was on loan to the Smithsonian for the 150th.
I assume that some of the contents of Lincoln's pocket are stored somewhere? The Confederate $5 bill intrigues me.
I wonder if the Booth mummy can be included?
Yes, Laura's dress has a unique history.
What about Powell's knife used to attack Seward. Show's the depth of the conspiracy to throw the government into chaos.
Correct Anita! All of the weapons including Corbett's missing Colt have interesting stories.
For what it's worth, I own a key to Powell's coffin - one of only two. the other belongs to the Powell family.