washington post review of Ford's Theatre

[Tim1965]

I've had mixed experiences with the NPS Rangers. During one tour in 2011, a Ranger speaking in the theater declined to give any talk about the theater, assassination, or other topics. Instead, the Ranger asked the audience if they had questions. It was surprising to find the Ranger uninformative. (The whole audience was shocked, frankly, that the Ranger wouldn't speak.) At a second tour a year later, the Ranger gave a short talk about the assassination (primarily Booth's escape from the box) which people found helpful and enjoyed. A third tour in 2014 found a really talkative Ranger who gave a good history of the theater, including its 1865 gutting and its 1893 collapse, as well as a bit more about the play, how Booth entered the theater and box, and Booth's escape.

I don't know if this represents an improvement over time by the Park Service, or the random selection of each Ranger's abilities and expertise. I've never had the opportunity to hear a volunteer guide the tour.