Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-08
OLD FORD'S THEATER'
THE PLAYHOUSE WHERE PREsI.
DENT LINCOLN WAS SHOT.
Site Originally Occupied by q Church,
Scene Of Disaster in
June, 1898.

Ford's Theater, the scene of the assas-
sination Of President Lincoln, aside from
the interest It inspires because of that
event. had quite q history, first as the site
OF the First Baptist Church, for which II
was purchased in 1898, and as Ford's The
alter from December, 1861, until the date
OF the tragic event of April II. 1865. Tbs
Baptists first located at the corner of 10th
and 1 streets and IN 1893 built house oe
worship on 10th street, on the theater site,
The pastor was the Rev Obadiah Brown, a
clerk in the Post Office Department, and the
principal clerk for some years; and among
his members were Amos Kendall, who filed
various responsible offices, among them that
of Postmaster General; Isaac Clarke father
of DR.. John W. Clarke, of the District gov
eminent; DR.. Joseph Borrows, Lambert
Tree and ]. w. Reynolds.
DR.. Brown filed the pastorate till 1880.
Wnen Kew. s. +. Hill was called to the pull
pit and served till the church was sold He
went with the congregation to the church
on 18th street, on the present site of the
builders exchange. In 1861 the 10th street
building was purchased by Mr.. John T Ford
ana converted into a playhouse the build
ing being reconstructed and adapted for that
purpose.
Under the name Of Ford's Atheneun, tho
building was opened in December 1851 and
while on the bills the designations theater
and opera house were used. the simple name
- VI u was suflcient to locate the
puliding During the war such talent
as Edwin Forrest. John Mccullough. John
sleeper Clarke, Stuart Robson, Mr. and
MRS {. b. Bishop, Mr.. and Miss Coul-
dock and Caroline and Peter Richings trod'
the boards. December 30 1862 during tba
engagement of the Richings, the building
was destroyed by fire totally and the mem.
pers OF the company lost all their stage
property.
The Structure Rebuilt.
In August following, the house having
peen rebuilt and fitted up, the drama had
another start here. the spectacular Maid
queen occupying the stage. Miss Maggie /
Mitchell and other star performers drew
the largest audiences
The tragedy of April IA, 1865, of course. !,
ended the career of the structure as a !
place OF amusement. The military took i
possession and held it until after the trial !
quently purchased by the government and
the Army Medical Museum was located
there, as well as the record and pension di.
vision of the surgeon generals office.
1t is coincidence that it was In the alley
In the rear through which Booth escaped
that his body was brought after being re4I
moved from the arsenal for delivery TO thA
FAMILY, and that one of the specimens in
the museum was portion Of Booths spinal
column, showing the course of the ball
which killed him. 1t was also here that the
BODY or Guiteau. the man who killed Prest.
dent Garfield, was dlssected.
June u. 1893, another terrible event took
place, in which "old Ford's Theater'' wa, a
central figure. While the government clerks
In the office we're at work in the morning the
floors gave way and a large portion of the
building was wrecked, many of those in the
structure falling and being covered by
the debris There were twenty-five persons
killed and many were injured, a number OF
them for life.