Mary Todd Lincoln's House Museum in Lexington, Kentucky

Last month I shared about our visit to Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace, so this month I want to share about our visit to Mary Todd Lincoln’s house in Lexington, Kentucky.

I first want to say that this house sits in downtown Lexington, with several modern amenities all around it. The fact that this has been preserved is amazing. And I found the history presented helping to tell a larger story about the Lincoln family, including the differences between Abraham and Mary’s backgrounds. As a Lincoln fan, this was a bucket list item, and I'm so grateful we had time on our trip to visit the museum.

The Outside 

There is a tiny parking lot in the back where you can enter a courtyard before walking around to the front of the house. The courtyard includes signs that share a historic overview. I'm putting these images in larger, so you can read them.

One of the most interesting things I learned in just the garden, was that Mary came from an affluent family, was well educated for a woman during that time period, and had a keen interest in politics. When she met Lincoln, this common interest is what brought them together.

The other interesting thing was that she had a brother who served in the confederate army during the civil war. Talk about a topic that divided a family! I can only imagine the stress this added to both these families lives. Besides having opposing views about slavery (Mary’s father owned slaves while at the same time opposed slavery - I know - a bit confusing), when her brother was killed, and her sister came to the White House to mourn with Mary, Mary was called out by some to be a south sympathizer for allowing her sister in the White House

In some ways Mary was in a no-win situation. But she was a strong woman, standing by her husband no matter what. It was documented she was a firm supporter of her husbands politics and never wavered on that point.

Once you walk through the gardens you enter onto the street to come in through the front door.

The Inside Highlights

Inside there is both a self-guided tour option and a tour guide option. Due to timing, we did the self-guided tour. The signs, the map, and the details presented made it enjoyable and educational.

I don’t have space to share all the pictures I took, but we were able to tour the parlor, the dining room, the kitchen area, the sitting rooms, and the bedrooms upstairs. The main bedroom included a small childs room extended within it, for the babies and toddlers to be taken care of.

Each room had a card pointing out highlights and the history on the room.

In one of the rooms was a Binder that had pictures of Mary in several of her White House Dresses. I enjoyed seeing new photos of her and the different styles she wore. The order shared a perspective of the scrutiny she was under.

 

 

In the sitting rooms, replica china from the white house were displayed.

 

In Summary

I have always been a fan of Lincoln and have enjoyed being able to visit his birthplace, the Lincoln theater in DC (along with the building across the street where he passed), reading books on him, and now learning more about his wife and her background. She had a huge influence on Lincoln becoming President. In almost every way, they were a team. I can't even imagine what his death must've been for her.

She didn't have family she could go back to or who would offer her support (her mother had passed when she was young and her step-mother wanted to get them out of the house as quickly as possible). And the media were not kind to her. Hard to escape the labels given on such a grand scale.

When I was reading through all the museums displays, I tried to see Mary and her choices later in life through her point of view. She faced a lot of challenges. And lost a lot.

If you'd like to learn more about Mary, this article from The Epoch Times on Mary (titled Maligned, Mistreated, and Mad: The Tragedy of Mary Lincoln) provides a lot more detail.

If you are ever in the Lexington area, I highly recommend a visit. There's also a small gift shop on the premises. You would need anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on how much you like to read and study what's provided.

 

 

Book 4 in Denise M. Colby's Best-laid Plans Series

California, 1870. Pastor William Baker built his life on steady faith and safe choices, but the arrival of Lydia Spencer upends everything. Independent and outspoken Lydia is unlike any woman he’s ever known. Lydia is a Pinkerton detective, undercover as a schoolteacher while tracking a dangerous crime boss. She’s determined to protect her friends in Washton even if it means keeping her distance from the kind, steadfast pastor who sees too much. But when Will and Lydia are thrown together in a search for truth they find themselves fighting not only for justice, but for a future neither had planned.

Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She finds history fascinating and contemplates often how it was to live in the 1800's. Her debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, is a 2025 Carol Award finalist. Sign up for her newsletter at www.denisemcolby.com or follow Denise on Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, Pinterest, or GoodReads.

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park by Denise M. Colby

On a recent trip, I had the privilege to visit the Lincoln Birthplace National Park. Located in Larue County, Kentucky, it is comprised of a visitor center (with museum and gift shop), grounds to walk around and picnic on, and a memorial building housing a replica of the one-room log cabin Lincoln was born and raised in until he was two.

What is the Lincoln Birthplace National Park?

The actual location of the park is where Lincoln was born and lived until he was two. Originally when they built the memorial they believed the cabin was the original, but later it was discovered it was not. That is marked clearly on one of the signs providing details of the park.

There is a second park called Knob Creek connected to this one. Down the way about 15 minutes, is where the family moved when Lincoln was 2. He lived there until age 7 and then the family moved to a homestead in Indiana (which is preserved as the Lincoln Boyhood National Museum.

The Memorial Building

They built the memorial building with key features. Sixteen windows, Sixteen rosettes on the celing, sixteen fence poles, all represent what number president he was. There are 56 steps from the base to reach the building representing what age Lincoln died.

Theodore Roosevelt began construction and President Taft was the one who dedicated it after completion.

There is a sinking spring deep underneath the memorial, which is where the original farm had gotten its name.

The Visitor Center

The museum in the visitor center highlights the family history (tracing back to 1550) and displays furniture and tools used during the timeframe of Lincoln’s birth. His father was a carpenter and there’s a table he built on display. There’s also a family Bible. There’s even a game called Gateway to the Presidency.

 

Other Lincoln Things to See

The general vicinity celebrates the connection to Abraham Lincoln. In nearby Springfield, there’s a Lincoln Legacy Museum. We didn’t stop, but according to TripAdvisor it is a great spot to stop. Springfield proudly promotes that they are where Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks met and were married before leasing the land at Sinking Springs.

As we drove through Hodgenville, they had a statue of Lincoln in the center of town facing a statue of Lincoln as a young boy. The boy statue includes a dog, and I was hoping it was Fido, but Fido was Lincoln’s dog as an adult and this one was his childhood pet.

 

In downtown Lexington, there is the Mary Todd Lincoln house. We toured that as well, and I’ll share that in another post. I will say it was interesting to see the differences with how each of them were raised.

Book 4 in the Best-laid Plans Series releases May 26, 2026

California, 1870. Pastor William Baker built his life on steady faith and safe choices, but the arrival of Lydia Spencer upends everything. Independent and outspoken Lydia is unlike any woman he’s ever known. Lydia is a Pinkerton detective, undercover as a schoolteacher while tracking a dangerous crime boss. She’s determined to protect her friends in Washton even if it means keeping her distance from the kind, steadfast pastor who sees too much. But when Will and Lydia are thrown together in a search for truth they find themselves fighting not only for justice, but for a future neither had planned.

Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She finds history fascinating and contemplates often how it was to live in the 1800's. Her debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, is a 2025 Carol Award finalist. Sign up for her newsletter at www.denisemcolby.com or follow Denise on Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, Pinterest, or GoodReads.

Pawnee Bill Wild West Museum

Blogger: Amber Schamel

Tucked away in the quaint little town of Pawnee, Oklahoma is a fascinating museum on Pawnee Bill and the Wild West shows. Now, if you're like me, the name Pawnee Bill causes you to raise an eyebrow. "Wait a second, Buffalo Bill I know, but who on earth is Pawnee Bill?"

Kudos to you lovers of wild west history that do know who he is. ;)

Anyway, Pawnee Bill's real name was Gordan William Lillie. He was, of course, an American showman and the owner of the "Pawnee Bill's Historical Wild West" show that launched in 1888.  Bill's own wife was one of the stars of this show, along with "Mexican Joe", Japanese performers and even Arab jugglers. The show became very popular and financially successful. 

Poster for Pawnee Bill's show

According to the signs in the museum, Buffalo Bill was the one to introduce him to the WW Show biz. He became a competitor for a while, but later they joined forces. In 1908, Pawnee Bill signed an agreement with Buffalo Bill Cody to create the "Two Bills" show, officially named "Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Pawnee Bill's Far East". This was short lived, however and failed after only five years. While performing in Denver, Colorado, the show went into foreclosure. 

Pawnee Bill and Buffalo Bill making the deal.

Bill and May Lillie had a ranch in Pawnee, Oklahoma where they raised buffalo. Originally, May traveled with Bill as a star of the show. But one day, a regular stunt went terribly wrong. The act was for May to hold a target in her hand as Bill shot it with his pistol. But somehow, Bill's .38 sights had been knocked out of precision. The bullet tore into May's hand. She recovered, however she was never able to handle target shooting again. After this incident, she oversaw the buffalo ranch. The Lillies also suffered terrible personal loses during their life. They lost a biological child in infancy, and later also lost their beloved adopted son, Billy. This quote from May Lillie emphasizes the pain they felt. 

"Now as I celebrate our Golden Anniversary, I wonder why it is so easy to win the applause of multitudes and so hard just to be a mother. I only realize that the show must go on regardless of what is behind the smile the audience sees." 

May Lillie's exhibit

 

One of the most interesting exhibits was a sign that included a written endorsement for the show from clergymen. Apparently many Christians during the time felt that such a show was worldly entertainment and not fitting for moral people, so this poster with a recommendation from a minister was to refute that perception. 

Isn't it interesting the tidbits you can pick up on in a tiny town's museum? What is the most memorable museum you have visited?

***** 

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  She lives in Colorado and spends half her time volunteering in the Ozarks. Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

Lake Superior Railroad Museum

Gabrielle Meyer Here:

We stumbled across the Lake Superior Railroad Museum about ten years ago in Duluth, Minnesota. It was a complete delight and we've been back several times. The Museum is housed in the historic Union Train Depot, which is a French Chateauesque building built in 1892. In 1910, seven railroads dispatched over 50 trains a day from there.

The depot served as a small Ellis Island to the immigrants who would arrive and wait for their connection in Duluth. During times of war the soldiers would march down Superior Street and board the trains there. The last train left in 1969 and four years later the building was restored and turned into a museum.

Along with the historic trains, the museum houses Depot Square, which is a 3/4 scale recreation of Duluth's downtown in 1910. You can peek in the windows and see what a store or office looked like in that era. There is a doctor's office, a drug store, a millinery, a general store and many more. There is also a working soda fountain, where you can buy a treat.

One of our favorite exhibits is a model train and town that is easily 20x30 feet and enclosed in glass. I'm always impressed with the attention to details in the little city. The kids love watching the trains go around and around--and I admit, I enjoy it, too.

We love exploring the dining car, snow plow train and an assortment of others. It's fun imagining what it would have been like to travel by train a hundred and fifty years ago.

I'm so thankful for museums!  

What about you? Do you have any trips or visits planned this summer? What are some of your favorite museums or historic sites that you enjoy visiting over and over?

Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people and events.

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Solving a Mystery on an Indian Reservation

This post is brought to you by Janalyn Voigt.

Traveling the Oregon Trail Backwards, A Road Trip Adventure, Part 9

Along with a female family member and our children, I was headed to Missouri for a family reunion. It seemed fitting that an exploration of my national heritage should dovetail into the celebration of my personal heritage. The reunion was of my mother's relatives, but I hoped to solve a mystery on my father's side of the family when I stopped at the tribal seat of the Sac and Fox nation of Missouri. My grandfather, whom I’d never known, came from the Iowa branch of this tribe, also known as the Meskwaki, which means ‘people of the red earth.’ I wasn’t sure I could find out anything about ‘Eddie’ (the only name I had for my grandfather), but I wanted to try.

The road led through farm lands from the Sod House Museum in Nebraska to Reserve, Kansas, headquarters of the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Nebraska and Kansas. The unprepossessing town boasted a small museum. This seemed the logical place to inquire about my grandfather. A local man held the door for my family group as we entered the museum. He listened without apology while I explained to the woman behind the counter the circumstances surrounding my father’s birth. He introduced himself and his interest seemed friendly, so I didn’t mind.

I explained that my Scottish grandmother, Minnie, fell in love with a Meskwaki man at the tender age of sixteen. Her straight-laced father refused to allow his daughter to marry an Indian. Eddie and Minnie decided to force the issue by conceiving a child. This did not work out as they planned. Minnie was sent off to live with an aunt in Springfield, Missouri. She later told my father that her brothers had tarred and feathered Eddie and run him out of town on a rail. During my teen years, Dad confided to me that when my grandfather realized he would never marry the woman he loved, he committed suicide. When I mentioned this story to other family members years later, none of them had heard it.

By then, there was no one to ask for clarity. Grandma had guarded her secrets, even from her son. She died when my father was fourteen. Now Dad was gone too. Mom couldn’t verify what my father had told me. My grandmother’s family held the ‘filthy Indian’ who had ruined her in a contempt that, unfortunately, extended to my father. He’d once looked up his aunt. She’d ordered him off the porch and warned him never to return. I’ve come to believe that Dad wasn’t sure he knew the truth about his father. He died without ever solving that mystery, despite making several trips to the reservation in Iowa.

I've always thought that my father, Carl Thomas Weise (named for his step-father), resembled Chief Black Hawk of the Sac tribe in the image on the right from George Catlin [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The tragedy of his birth shaped my Dad’s life and, in some respects, my own. Racial prejudice comes up repeatedly as a theme in my writing. I dedicated Cheyenne Sunrise (Montana Gold 2) to my father's memory and gave the hero, Nick Laramie, my father’s and grandfather’s struggles. Nick, the son of a French trapper and Cheyenne woman, belongs to neither of his parent’s people. He resists falling in love with Bryanna Brennan, the beautiful Irish widow traveling West for a fresh start, certain he can never marry her.

Back to my visit to the museum. The Sac and Fox tribe is actually two interconnected tribes combined into one. The close relationships this would seem to indicate may be why I thought the southern tribe would know about members of the northern branch, two states away. The woman in the museum (whose name I’ve since forgotten) told me gently that they didn’t. Apparently, many people contact the museum trying to prove a genealogical connection to the tribe. I was just one more. Considering the prejudice my father encountered in his lifetime, it’s ironic that having Native American ancestry is now glamorous. The woman explained that most of the claims of Sac-Fox ancestry she fielded didn’t pan out, and researching them added to her workload. She hastened to add that my story had the ring of truth. Given the sparse information I was able to give her, she probably couldn’t find out anything to help, but she gave me her contact information. The man who had listened silently pressed me to buy a sweatshirt emblazoned with the tribe’s logo. This seemed important to him, and my throat clogged when I understood his intent. He wanted to give me a shred of the heritage I’d lost.

The logo that graces my sweatshirt comes from the flag of the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Nebraska and Kansas.

It struck me as I drove away that I no longer needed to search for my grandfather. With their small kindnesses, the two people who had shared my story in the museum had given me what I’d been searching for. In Cheyenne Sunrise, Nick Laramie’s yearning to belong echoed my own unrecognized desire.

I purchased one of the tribal sweatshirts before leaving town. Whenever I wear it, I remember the small kindnesses given to me that day. Whether the tribe ever acknowledges me no longer matters. I've adopted them.

Cheyenne Sunrise releases February 1, 2018. 

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• Learn about Hills of Nevermore (Montana Gold, book 1).

About Janalyn Voigt

My father instilled a love of literature in me at an early age by reading chapters from "The Wizard of Oz," "Robinson Crusoe" and other classics. When I grew older, and he stopped reading bedtime stories, I put myself to sleep with tales I "wrote" in my head. My sixth-grade teacher noticed my storytelling ability and influenced me to become a writer.

I'm what is known as a multi-genre author, but I like to think of myself as a storyteller. The same elements appear in all my novels in proportions dictated by their genre: romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy.

 Escape into creative worlds of fiction at http://janalynvoigt.com.