Mary Todd Lincoln House - Lexington, KY
Are you an Abraham Lincoln enthusiast? Or a Mary Todd Lincoln fan?
Want to visit a house in Lexington, Kentucky where Abraham Lincoln stayed for several weeks?
The Mary Todd Lincoln House in Lexington, Kentucky is the place to visit, then.
Last week Friday, May 6, 2022 I was in Lexington, Kentucky and was able to tour the Mary Todd Lincoln house with my good friend Nick.
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| Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia |
Introduction to Todd Family House
The Lexington, Kentucky fourteen-room house where Mary Todd Lincoln grew up as a teenager is now a museum containing artifacts from the Todd and Lincoln families, period furniture, portraits, and is open to the public for an admission fee.
The house has the special designation as the first historic site restored in the honor of a First Lady. The house opened as a museum in 1977.
According to Wikipedia, “The museum introduces visitors to the complex life of Mary Todd Lincoln, from her refined upbringing in a wealthy, slave-holding family to her reclusive years as a mourning widow.”
The house originally an inn and tavern was built c.1803-1806 and named the "The Sign of the Green Tree" before the Todd family moved into the home in 1832. From 1832 to 1849 the house was the Todd family house.
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| Mary Todd Lincoln House Museum Sign Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia |
Mary Todd Lincoln - Living in House
Located on Main Street in Lexington, the Mary Todd Lincoln house was the girlhood home of Mary Todd, the future first lady and wife of the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln.
Mary Todd lived in the house from 1832 to 1839. She was 13 when she first moved into the house and moved out of the house at 21 to go to Springfield, Illinois with one of her sisters.
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| Portrait of Mary Todd Lincoln on display |
Mary Todd Lincoln House - Hours and Address
The Mary Todd Lincoln house is open as a museum Monday-Saturday from March 15-November 30th. It is open hourly from 10:00am to 3:00pm, admission is charged. Call 859-233-9999 or visit the house's website for more information.
The Mary Todd Lincoln house museum is located at 578 West Main Street in Lexington, KY
Abraham Lincoln
Long before the Lincoln presidency, Abraham Lincoln stayed at the house for several weeks.
Abraham Lincoln with his wife stayed at the house for a three week visit in November 1847. Two (2) of their children Robert and Edward with them at the time.
Abraham Lincoln and his family visited Lexington, Kentucky on several occasions including to settle the estate of Mary’s father Robert Todd after his passing in 1849.
Mary Todd Lincoln House - Items on Display
It was great to see the many items on display in the house from the Todd and Abraham Lincoln families.
Quite a few items are on display throughout the house. Here are just a few.
1) China Mary Todd Lincoln purchased:
- The plate on the left with the purple color around the edge is a replica of the china set Mary Todd Lincoln purchased using federal funds for the White House in 1861.
- The other china on display are pieces Mary Todd purchased for the Lincoln family's private use.
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| Mary Todd Lincoln China |
2) Portrait of Lincoln Family
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| Lincoln Family Portrait at the Mary Todd Lincoln House |
3) Picture of Lincoln child and silver cup
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| Lincoln boy Silver cup and photos |
Final Thoughts
The Mary Todd Lincoln house was nice to visit to learn about Mary Todd Lincoln and the Todd Family. Many items are on display about the Todd and Lincoln families. The house museum brings to the forefront the tragedy and complexity of Mary Todd’s life and is open to the public Monday through Saturday from March 15 through November 3oth.
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