Washington, D.C. – On September 16 President Lincoln’s Cottage will hold its annual
Homecoming festivities: a morning “Freedom 5K” followed by a day of free family
activities.
The Freedom 5K kicks off at 9am and offers runners a once-a-year chance to view the
historic campus of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, which in Lincoln’s time was
known as the Soldiers’ Home. The pastoral course winds past ponds and historic buildings
and is only open to the public for this event. Much of the course is rustic and secluded,
and it is easy to forget one is in the middle of DC.
The race will be followed by a 9:45 am award ceremony on the South Lawn of the Cottage
where men, women, and nonbinary winners will receive recognition and awesome prizes.
The Tot Dash will begin at 10 am, so diminutive running enthusiasts can join in the action.
This spirited race will begin the “Family Day” portion of the festivities, where the
community is welcomed to engage with the grounds in a similar way that Tad Lincoln,
Lincoln’s youngest son who lived at the Cottage, did, enjoying riding ponies, playing with
animals (there will be a petting zoo), playing games on the lawn, and listening to stories.
There will also be face painting, arts and crafts projects, and hands-on preservation
activities. Today, the Cottage is preserved as a historic site, but it was once a family home
where the Lincolns, especially Tad, delighted in the company of family, neighbors, and a
whole host of animals.
Building on the popularity of last year’s Homecoming, the Cottage is offering more
activities than ever.
The festivities will wrap up at 3 pm, but President Lincoln’s Cottage is open 362 days a
year.
Photo by Aimee Custis
Media contact: Rebecca Kilborne
Categories:Press Releases
