Robert Todd Lincoln --The vitals

[L Verge]

A report from my "agent" at St. Elizabeths: Two historians at the facility told him that they had no doubt that at least the Center Building could have been seen from the White House in 1862. There were only three buildings of any height in the city at that time -- the unfinished Washington Monument, the Capitol, and the White House.

A good source for getting a perspective is the ca. 1846 photograph of the White House because it shows the southern façade of the building, and that is what would have overlooked the area across the river where the hospital was located. Both President Lincoln's bedroom and that of Mary were on the south side of the White House on what is really the third floor. We are all familiar with the southern view, and the oval exterior makes room for oval rooms inside. Lincoln slept in a room east of the Yellow Oval Room, and Mary in a room west of it. Willie died in a room on the northwest side of the mansion - it's termed the West Room today. I even found out that Tad slept in a room converted from a dressing room.

I think it is safe to assume that the event that we are discussing occurred in Mary's room sometime after Willie's funeral, so a window in that room should have given a view of the asylum. As for what building Lincoln was referring to, it is likely that it was the tallest one, the Center Building. However, that building has never been white, so far as we can find out. There were other buildings painted white, but I suspect that Mrs. Keckly (or her writer) miswrote when describing the building as white. They were working six years after the death of Willie.

Today, my "agent" went to what is referred to as the Penthouse at the new hospital at St. Elizabeths. The old Center Bldg is totally gutted, so the Penthouse is now the highest point on the campus and a good distance from the Center Bldg. Using binoculars, he could still see Center, even with trees and other buildings now. He has no doubt that Lincoln could have seen the Center Bldg. from the White House. The old building is now on the part of the campus that is owned by Homeland Security, so he will have to apply for permission to visit it.

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(12-20-2017 03:21 PM)L Verge Wrote:  A report from my "agent" at St. Elizabeths: Two historians at the facility told him that they had no doubt that at least the Center Building could have been seen from the White House in 1862. There were only three buildings of any height in the city at that time -- the unfinished Washington Monument, the Capitol, and the White House.

A good source for getting a perspective is the ca. 1846 photograph of the White House because it shows the southern façade of the building, and that is what would have overlooked the area across the river where the hospital was located. Both President Lincoln's bedroom and that of Mary were on the south side of the White House on what is really the third floor. We are all familiar with the southern view, and the oval exterior makes room for oval rooms inside. Lincoln slept in a room east of the Yellow Oval Room, and Mary in a room west of it. Willie died in a room on the northwest side of the mansion - it's termed the West Room today. I even found out that Tad slept in a room converted from a dressing room.

I think it is safe to assume that the event that we are discussing occurred in Mary's room sometime after Willie's funeral, so a window in that room should have given a view of the asylum. As for what building Lincoln was referring to, it is likely that it was the tallest one, the Center Building. However, that building has never been white, so far as we can find out. There were other buildings painted white, but I suspect that Mrs. Keckly (or her writer) miswrote when describing the building as white. They were working six years after the death of Willie.

Today, my "agent" went to what is referred to as the Penthouse at the new hospital at St. Elizabeths. The old Center Bldg is totally gutted, so the Penthouse is now the highest point on the campus and a good distance from the Center Bldg. Using binoculars, he could still see Center, even with trees and other buildings now. He has no doubt that Lincoln could have seen the Center Bldg. from the White House. The old building is now on the part of the campus that is owned by Homeland Security, so he will have to apply for permission to visit it.

Forgot to mention that the White House stands 60 feet high -- good vantage point for seeing distances.