DIRECTOR’S LETTER
Dear Friends,
We’re thrilled to be recognized as one of the 50 “Great Places to Work” in the D.C. region, especially as a place where Lincoln made historic advances in how we define liberty and workers’ rights. It’s an honor to steward this National Monument for you and it’s a pleasure because our team does it with such passion and rigor. To this day, Lincoln’s story and our national Civil War story are contentious. Separating fact from fiction is sometimes easier said than done, but something we take very seriously. We have witnessed firsthand that the history we research and perspectives we share open minds to new realities and new possibilities, and spur action today. For without empathy and knowledge about how our past created our present, we lack the knowledge to make sound decisions about our shared future.
Thank you for continuing Lincoln’s work with us,
WASHINGTONIAN’S 50 GREAT PLACES TO WORK
We’re excited to announce that President Lincoln’s Cottage has been recognized as one of Washingtonian’s 50 Great Places to Work in the Washington, DC area. Announced every two years, the winning workplaces are chosen by a panel of editors after reviewing hundreds of companies and 8,000 employee surveys.
The 50 winning workplaces, which are featured in the March 2017 issue of the Washingtonian (already on newsstands), were chosen based on a wide variety of measures. President Lincoln’s Cottage received a full analysis of survey answers, and not only did we receive top marks, but we scored a 100{ec117f0059f8cde3a5e4f5b3c1b486659702d407977a37ffc575d2c0a9b4a69f} in the “Would you recommend this company to a friend as a great place to work?” and “I love coming to work” categories. We think that says a lot.
If you visit the Cottage you’ll find a small, nimble staff — not to mention dedicated volunteers and Board Members — filled with extremely passionate people. We’re so pleased to be recognized as a place of happy employees doing great work they believe in.
The online article will be available on March 6. Read the full press release here.
SPRING PROGRAMS
A CONVERSATION ABOUT LINCOLN & ROMERO
Join President Lincoln’s Cottage and the Mexican Cultural Institute for a timely conversation as Dr. Jason Silverman and Alberto Fierro-Garza take a close look at international relations and historic ties between the United States and Mexico. The conversation will be based around Dr. Silverman’s article, A Most Unlikely Friendship: Abraham Lincoln and Matías Romero, which appeared in the January 2017 Proclamation.
WHEN: Thursday, March 16
TIME: 7 PM
COST: FREE
For more information on this program and how to reserve tickets, CLICK HERE.
LINCOLN IDEAS FORUM 2017
On Thursday, April 13, we’ll be hosting the 2017 Lincoln Ideas Forum. Stay tuned for event and speaker details.
COTTAGE CONVERSATION: Midnight in America
Join us as author Jonathan White and Michael Bishop of the George Washington University’s National Churchill Library, discuss White’s book, Midnight in America: Darkness, Sleep, and Dreams During the Civil War.
WHEN: Thursday, April 20
TIME: Reception- 6 PM, Conversation- 6:30 PM
CLICK HERE for more info on the program and how to RSVP.
BOURBON & BLUEGRASS
Lounge on Lincoln’s front lawn, sip bourbon and enjoy live bluegrass music, Sunday, May 7 for our third annual Bourbon and Bluegrass event!
All proceeds from the event go toward preservation efforts at President Lincoln’s Cottage. Help us keep this historic gem open and available to share Lincoln’s untold stories. Stay tuned for information on how to purchase tickets, music acts, and more.
COTTAGE CONVERSATION: The Quartermaster
Join us as author and Pulitzer-prize nominated reporter Robert O’Harrow Jr. discusses his latest book, The Quartermaster: Montgomery C. Meigs, Lincoln’s General, Master Builder of the Union Army.
WHEN: Wednesday, May 24
TIME: Reception- 6 PM, Conversation- 6:30 PM
CLICK HERE for more info on the program and how to RSVP.
PRESERVATION UPDATE: Construction, and recycling, in the Visitor Education Center
Senior Preservationist Jeff Larry in the midst of construction
Sustainability is an important part of our work at President Lincoln’s Cottage and is defined as “the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.” Our cleaning program only uses “green” products. Our landscape program does not allow the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and whenever possible we reuse materials. As we re-imagine the space in the Visitor Education Center where the tours begin, a massive oak cabinet (11’ long!) was separated from the monitor enclosure (11’ tall!) and will be re-purposed to display our Museum Store’s stock of fair trade products and carefully selected Lincolnia.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Love Letters to a Historic Place
February is a big month at the Cottage. Not only is it Black History Month, Presidents Day and Lincoln’s birthday month, it is also the month of love. To celebrate, we participated in a heart bombing campaign, we created some exclusive PLC valentine’s on February 14, and were also inspired to compose some love letters. Check out our gallery of hand-written love letters to find out which historic places pulled on our heart strings and were our first crushes. (Will you go to prom with me, check yes or no?)
HELP NOMINATE US: BEST MUSEUM OFF THE MALL
Help nominate President Lincoln’s Cottage for “Best Museum Off the Mall” in the Washington City Paper’s Best of D.C. Readers’ Poll for 2017.
Poll closes March 5, 11:59 PM EST
LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED WITH PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S COTTAGE?
Apply to participate in the 2017 International SOS Summit!
During the Summit, participants engage with survivors of modern slavery, modern abolitionists working in the anti-slavery field, and each other, to create campaigns that they will launch in their own schools to raise awareness and get others involved in the contemporary fight against slavery. Following the Summit, students remain engaged with President Lincoln’s Cottage, and their network of peers as they take the modern abolition movement back to their schools and communities.
This year the Summit will take place June 26-30. You can download the application here.
Please email the application to the Education Department at President Lincoln’s Cottage: [email protected] by Friday April 7, 2017.
We’re hiring! President Lincoln’s Cottage is seeking a paid summer intern to perform hands-on preservation and restoration work on the exterior windows, doors and trim of its Visitor Education Center, an Italian Renaissance Revival style building constructed in 1905, and other tasks.
For more details, and information on how to apply click here.
Interested? Please send a cover letter, resume, and three references via email to Jeff Larry, Senior Preservationist, at [email protected] by Friday March 31, 2017.
HERO HEADS HOODIES FOR SALE
Hero Heads is a local apparel brand with unique designs to celebrate your love for legends that inspire you, and we now have gray Lincoln hoodies in stock! Each sweatshirt provides extreme comfort and coziness while you show off your Hero, Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln hoodies comes in a variety of sizes, and are offered in heather gray.
Purchase your Lincoln hoodie today.
TEAM LINCOLN
Robert Rixman, Field Marketing Manager with Woodford Reserve
This month we’ve asked Robert Rixman from Woodford Reserve, our partner for Bourbon & Bluegrass, to describe just how our partnership got started, where it’s headed, and what drink he’d serve Lincoln (if Lincoln drank, that is.) Read the full interview here.
NEWS and AWARDS
- Washingtonian named President Lincoln’s Cottage one of 50 “Great Places to Work” in the Washington, D.C. area. President Lincoln’s Cottage will be featured in the March 2017 issue; the online version will be available March 6.
- Neighborhood blogs Brookland Bridge and Prince of Petworth covered the American by Belief exhibit and shared the Cottage’s spring events.
- The Cottage made the top slot for Thrillist’s Best Date Spots, in the Ft. Totten neighborhood — just in time for Valentine’s Day.
- Pentagram Papers, a military publication, highlighted President Lincoln’s Cottage for their February “Discover D.C.” section, in honor of President’s Day. Check out the full review here.
- President Lincoln’s Cottage was featured on the Sweet Charity podcast from the Philanthropy Roundtable. The eight-minute piece is a a perfect sound bite explaining both the charm of the Cottage and more about our funding sources. Listen to it here.
- To honor President’s Day, the Washington Post live streamed a tour of the Cottage on Facebook, February 20. Check out the footage here.
SUPPORT PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S COTTAGE
Support our educational programs, preservation efforts and public events by making a contribution to President Lincoln’s Cottage. Donate online today.
Categories:Newsletter
