Mary Todd Lincoln's Cell

[Houmes]

(07-04-2015 12:59 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(07-04-2015 12:38 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Is it just me, or does it appear that all the furniture in that bedroom has been pushed together in a tight space? Were they polishing the floors in the rest of the room when that photo was taken?

Laurie, I do not think that photo shows the actual room at Bellevue. It's a display of furnishings from the Lincoln Room in a museum in Batavia. They probably need the rest of the space for other Lincoln-related exhibits.

(Depot Museum, I believe)

I agree. The photo is very misleading regarding the room size. I've been there and due to other Lincoln artifacts in the room, it's somewhat crowded. In addition, Mrs. Lincoln did not have it as bad as might be thought; she frequently took meals with Dr. Patterson (the owner) and his family (which were not arranged for other "patients"), had friends visiting from nearby St. Charles, went for buggy rides in the nearby countryside, etc., etc. Calling it an asylum would be stretching the truth; it was fairly genteel, and more like a rest home with medical treatment for those able to afford it.