Extra Credit Questions

[Rogerm]

I am going to guess Providence, Rhode Island.

[RJNorton]

Super guess, Roger! But it's not Providence as the hotel pictured is in another city. But you are right about the one visit - Lincoln visited Providence one time --> February 28, 1860. Lincoln did not stay at a hotel when in Providence; he stayed at the home of an attorney named John Eddy.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Kalamazoo, Michigan?

[RJNorton]

Like Roger's, that is a terrific guess, Eva. But the hotel in question is not in Kalamazoo. Lincoln only made one trip to Kalamazoo, so you are right about that, Eva. However, he did not stay in a hotel. He stayed at the home of Hezekiah G. Wells; Wells is the man who had issued the invitation to Lincoln to speak in Kalamazoo.

[Gene C]

Well, it may be the wrong answer, but it reminds me of a song.
"I've Got a Gal In Kalamazoo" by Glenn Miller Orchestra.
Catch the great dance routine at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQQfK8Bqkw0

[Susan Higginbotham]

Harrisburg, PA?

[RJNorton]

Susan, your guess is excellent also. Lincoln was in Harrisburg once; he was there as President-elect on February 22, 1861. However, the hotel in the image I posted is not in Harrisburg.

[Anita]

Roger, was his stay here before he became President?

[RJNorton]

Anita, yes. Lincoln's visit to this city was prior to his Presidency.

[Anita]

Well Roger, that narrows it down but not much. I've found many cities Lincoln visited once and no match. Most of the hotels he stayed at in these places were lost to fire! Could it be the City Hotel in Manchester or the Phoenix Hotel in Concord in New Hampshire?

[RJNorton]

Nope. Good thinking, Anita, but it was not either of those cities.

Hint #1: Mary Lincoln visited this city when her husband was President. However, she stayed in a different hotel from the one pictured.

Hint #1.50: Lincoln passed through the city when changing trains on a couple of occasions; the visit I refer to was for 8 days when Lincoln stayed in the city and vicinity.

Hint #1.75: The hotel where Lincoln stayed has a number of "firsts."

[Steve]

Boston?

[RJNorton]

Excellent, Steve. Lincoln made one trip to Boston, and he was in Boston and vicinity from September 15 to September 23, 1848. He was on a speaking tour to support Zachary Taylor and the Whig platform. He stayed in the Tremont House. Mary Lincoln stayed in Boston when she visited Robert who was a student at Harvard. I believe Mary stayed at the Parker House.

According to Wikipedia the Tremont House in Boston had several "firsts." These include:

Indoor plumbing
Indoor toilets and baths
Reception area
Locked rooms for the guest
Free soap
Bellboys

Also, Wikipedia says:

"During the 19th century it was socially unacceptable for women to dine alone in the public rooms of hotels. The hotel was among the first urban establishments to open a women-only dining room, referred to as a 'Ladies' ordinary'."

[RJNorton]

Robert L. O'Brien was a personal secretary and executive clerk for President Grover Cleveland. O'Brien wrote this:

"____________ was an intrinsically stupid man who lived on his pretended intimacy with Abraham Lincoln..."

Whom was O'Brien referring to?

[Gene C]

Benjamin Harrison ?