Tour: In the Footsteps of an Assassin

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Join Michael W. Kauffman, author of In the Footsteps of an Assassin, on a guided tour of the sites where the Lincoln conspiracy took place and the escape route that John Wilkes Booth followed as he fled through southern Maryland. This classic TravelBrains tour features narration by the author, augmented reality images, quiz questions and more.

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Price: $9.99

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Audio

Augmented Reality

Quiz questions

Tour Details

Genre: Historical

Language: English

Duration: 2 or more hours

Mode: Walking/Driving Combo

Intended Audience: All

In the Footsteps of an Assassin

Join Michael W. Kauffman, author of In the Footsteps of an Assassin, on a guided tour of the sites where the Lincoln conspiracy took place and the escape route that John Wilkes Booth followed as he fled through southern Maryland. This classic TravelBrains tour features narration by the author, augmented reality images, quiz questions and more.

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Ford's Theatre

Press the "Stories" button to hear Michael Kauffman explain the events of the fateful evening of April 14, 1865. If you wish to take your picture with President Lincoln, click the AR button on the app. A Brief History of Ford's Theatre John T. Ford was not quite finished building his “New Athenaeum” when the Lincoln tragedy struck. The War Department seized the theater and, by late 1865, had converted it to an office building. The Army moved its new Medical Museum here, and later, the Office of Strategic Services, forerunner of the CIA, housed its map division on an upper floor. Ford’s was a government pension office in 1893, when all three floors collapsed under the weight of heavy file cabinets. Twenty-two clerks lost their lives. The Ford's Theatre was restored to its 1865 appearance in the 1960s. Today, the building is maintained by the National Park Service and houses the Lincoln Museum. It is also a living theatre with regular performances.

Stories
The assassination

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Petersen's Boarding House

The Petersen House is known as “The House Where Lincoln died." Today, the house is managed by the National Park Service and is open for touring. The first floor parlors are furnished with period pieces, and the bed where Lincoln passed away can be found in the back bedroom.

Stories
The house where Lincoln died

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Baptist Alley

Booth was quite familiar with Baptist Alley, having kept a horse and carriage in a stable located here. On the evening of the assassination, Booth fled out the back of Ford's Theatre into the alley, where he had a horse waiting for him. If you explore the alley, be sure to view the AR image of Booth with your smartphone.

Stories
Baptist Alley

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Herndon House

The Herndon House is the location Lewis Powell stayed for two weeks prior to his assault on Secretary of State Seward on April 14, 1865. On the evening of April 13, Booth met with fellow conspirators in Powell’s room at the Herndon House to go over the assassination plot. This location features an AR image of Powell.

Stories
F Street and the Herndon House

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Surratt Boarding House

The Surratt boardinghouse saw plenty of mysterious visitors after Mary Surratt moved here in late 1864. One of them was John Wilkes Booth, who stopped here frequently in the months leading up to the assassination. Lewis Powell, who had stayed here briefly under an assumed name, showed up on the night of April 17 and was arrested just inside the front door. Later, President Andrew Johnson justified the execution of Mrs. Surratt by saying that she had “kept the nest that hatched the egg.”

Stories
Surratt Boarding House

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Mary Surratt Tavern

Booth and Herold stopped here during their escape to collect weapons they had hidden inside the walls prior to the assassination. Be sure to stop in and explore the museum and bookstore, which contains a large selection of material relating to the conspiracy.

Stories
Mary Surratt Tavern

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Village of T.B.

Originally, Booth and Harold intended to rendezvous here in the Village of T.B. As the events of April 14, 1865 unfolded, however, the two ended up fleeing through T.B. without stopping.

Stories
Village of T.B.

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The Horsehead Tavern

This is the site of the Horsehead Taver. Today, it is a private residence. On the front lawn, a wooden sign featuring the carved head of a horse serves as a reminder of it's history.

Stories
Horsehead Tavern

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The Mudd House

This was the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd, the physician who tended to Booth’s leg injury. Today it is a museum, featuring many of the original furniture pieces belonging to Dr. Mudd. Be sure to call ahead to confirm opening and closing hours.

Stories
The Mudd House

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Bryantown

The crossroads village of Bryantown, Maryland, served as a hub for troops engaged in the search for John Wilkes Booth. The Bryantown Tavern (pictured below) served as a headquarters for one of the search parties.

Stories
Bryantown

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St. Mary's Church

The church has remained relatively unchanged from the time of the Civil War. it was here that Dr. Mudd first met Booth in the fall of 1864. Dr. Mudd was a member of St. Mary's congregation and is, today, buried in the church's cemetery. His grave can be found to the left of the church, not far from the parking area.

Stories
St. Mary's Church

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Zekiah Swamp

The Zekiah Swamp is a network of streams that run from north to south through a dense wood. Booth's pursuers were convinced that a man with a broken leg could never make it across and thus mistakenly dismissed it as a possible escape route.

Stories
Zekiah Swamp

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Rich Hill

The private residence located here was once the home of Samuel Cox. In the early hours of Easter Sunday, April 16th, Booth and Harold arrived here and reportedly spent about five hours inside Cox's home before continuing their flight south.

Stories
Rich Hill

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Pine Thicket

This place has become known as the pine thicket, and it was here that Booth and Herold spent four days anxiously waiting for a chance to cross the Potomac to the Confederacy.

Stories
Pine Thicket

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Huckleberry

Huckleberry was Thomas Jones's home. After stopping there to get something to eat for Booth and Herold, they hiked over the wooded hills to a small stream, where Jones had a rowboat waiting for them. The stream is inaccessible to the public.

Stories
Dent's Meadow

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The Quesenberry House

The cottage that stood here in 1865 was much smaller than the house you see today. It was the home of Elizabeth Quesenberry, a Virginian who ran a waystation for agents of the Confederate underground.

Stories
The Quesenberry House

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Cleydael

This was the summer residence of Dr. Richard Stuart, a cousin of Robert E. Lee. On the afternoon of April 23rd, Booth and his companions came to this house seeking medical assistance. They were permitted to eat, but were then sent on their way.

Stories
Cleydael and the Lucas Cabin

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Port Conway

For the fugitives, Port Conway's ferry boat service was the only means of crossing the Rappahannock River. On the afternoon of April 24th, after revealing their identities to William Jett, a Confederate commissary agent, and his two companions, they all crossed the river to Port Royal.

Stories
Port Conway

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Port Royal

After arriving in Port Royal on the ferry boat, Booth stayed at the landing, while Jett, Bainbridge, Herold, and Ruggles fanned out through the town in search of accommodations.

Stories
Port Royal

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Garrett Farm

The tabacco barn at the Garrett Farm was the end of the line for Booth. He was shot through the neck and died on the front porch of the Garrett Farm at sunrise on the morning of April 26, 1865.

Stories
Garrett Farm

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The Star Hotel

On the evening of April 25th, Union cavalry surrounded the Star Hotel in Bowling Green, VA and interrogated "Willie" Jett until he led them to Booth's location at the Garrett farm.

Stories
The Star Hotel

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11th Street Bridge

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Navy Yard

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Southern Maryland

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The Capitol

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The Crossing

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