Petersen House

The Petersen House is a historic 19th-century Federal-style row house in Washington, D.C., just a few blocks east of the White House. The building was constructed in 1849 by the German tailor William A. Petersen and served as a boardinghouse in the 1860s. It is best known as the place where President Abraham Lincoln died on April 15, 1865, after being shot the previous evening at Ford's Theatre across the street.

After the assassination, Lincoln was carried across the street to the house, where he spent the night and finally died early the next morning. Today the building is operated by the National Park Service as a historic house museum and is part of Ford's Theatre National Historic Site. Visitors can get a sense of the scene at the time, as the bedroom is furnished with replicas of the original furniture. Lincoln's actual bed and other personal items are now held by the Chicago History Museum, while the bloodstained pillow is on display at the Petersen House. Admission is free, but a timed ticket is required.