Black and white photograph of the exterior of Ford's Theatre and the rest of 10th street as it looked in the 19th century.
Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

By the Numbers: A look back at Ford’s 150 [Infographic]

1 min read

In April 2015, Ford’s Theatre Society and National Park Service staff honored the memory of Abraham Lincoln and marked 150 years since his untimely death. Ford’s 150 was a behemoth – a once-in-a-lifetime occasion that necessitated planning with Civil War enthusiasts, scholars, museums, group tour operators, performance artists, generous donors, media outlets and more.

Ariel photo of Ford's Theatre during the 150-year commemorations of the assassination of President Lincoln. The nighttime street image is filled with thousands of people holding candles, standing vigil outside of the Theatre and Petersen House.
Thousands joined us on Tenth Street NW to hold a vigil just as people had in 1865. Photo by Gary Erskine.

When we look back at all we did – the panel discussions; the special tours; the extraordinary exhibition of artifacts from across the country; the receptions and the rehearsals; the performance; the simulcast; the crowds; the before-7 a.m. live TV interviews and the after-2 a.m. interviews; the wreath laying; the morning bell tolling; the USS Abraham Lincoln Honor Guard; the bagpipes…it’s hard not to get emotional thinking about it!

For everyone who was with us on Tenth Street to honor Abraham Lincoln, his memory and legacy, Ford’s 150 truly was an unbelievable moment in history.

Our graphics team has pulled together an infographic to illustrate some of the more notable numbers from the events. What was your favorite part of Ford’s 150?

Lauren Beyea is Associate Director of Communications and Marketing at Ford’s Theatre, where she oversees media relations and is editor of the Ford’s Theatre Blog. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenBeyea.

Headshot for Lauren Beyea.

Lauren Beyea is Associate Director of Communications and Marketing at Ford’s Theatre

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