This is an interesting picture for more than one reason.It was taken in April, 1865 in New York. Yes, it’s the funeral procession for President Lincoln.
My explanation post will not mention Lincoln or anyone in his cabinet. I won’t mention the assassination or Reconstruction.
What is it about this particular picture that I could focus on?
No explantation from last week, but here's my offering.
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UPDATE: The explanation post for this image can be found HERE.
26 comments:
I never knew there was a picture of the funeral procession. It's amazing. There's just so much going on, I'd need a few hours to really examine it.
I really have no idea what is particularly interesting about the phot other than its importance as a historical record.
I will have to come back and find out. Happy WW
I'll have to come back to find out also, but you've got me curious! :) Happy WW!
it's a sunny day and the umbrellas are closed? I have no idea but it's a great shot.
Interesting perspective. From what building might this have been taken?
wow, what a picture!
Amazing! Funny that I thought it was a drawing at first glance. Such a wonderful teaching tool:)
thanks for sharing! very interesting.
happy ww!
More info on the procession.....this wasn't the only one. Lincoln's body was taken from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Ill. where he was buried. His son Willie had died a couple of years before and his body was also on the train, so he could be buried with his father.
The train route covered 1700 miles and at most major towns or cities Lincoln's body was removed and carried to a City Hall or other government building so people could pay their respects.
The picture with this post was taken in New York. Lincoln's body was removed from the train at Jersey City and carried by ferry across the Hudson River to New York. On Tuesday, April 25th the coffin was placed on a 14 foot long funeral car and was carried up Broadway to Fourteenth, over to Fifth Avenue, up Fifth to Thirty-Fourth, across Thirty-fourth to 9th and finally to the Hudson River Railway Depot. Over 75,000 citizens marched in the New York procession while even more lined the streets.
The train trip began on Friday, April 21st and finally arrived at its destination on May 4th.
This doesn't have anything to do with why I posted the picture, but it is interesting, isn't it?
Great photo. Fascinating. Thanks for yet another history lesson.
Dear, dear, dear!
I was going to write about this exact same subject (different photo) next week but I was sidetracked by a funeral!
Lincoln was the first President to be embalmed and they kept embalming him to keep him 'fresh' for all these funerals! (It was an exhibit at the soon-to-be closed Ford's Theatre.)
The funerals of the time were quite elaborate and had complicated rituals. There were black buntings, black and purple wreathes on the doors, and I think there were street lamps covered up - in fact, anything was covered that would detract from mourning. Is this what you might be talking about?
I'm still trying to finish up a posting on my past FIOF and WW from last week! But I will post a current WW tomorrow.
Don't worry TM.....I won't be writing anything about Lincoln or his funeral, and I look forward to your posting. :)
btw....some of the account of this train of mourning are so garish....by the time Lincoln's body reached New York the crowds had begun to notice the discoloration of his body and by the time he reached his final destination they had taken to using make-up to cover the effects of death.
Is this a test? I'm out of school. Great shot and have a great WW. :)
It's amazing how something that happened more than 4 decades ago can have this "contemplating" effect on me. Happy WW.
No idea, the buildings maybe that's all I can think of
Looks like quite an ordeal...I guess those are covered lamp posts on the right side?...1st time stopping by.
Perhaps it has to do with Mary Todd Lincoln? And how she was declared insane after she witnessed her husband's assassination? She was buried next to her husband, wearing the ring he gave her with the inscription 'love is eternal'.
Hi Suzy...those may be covered lamp posts and not umbrellas as mentioned above.
No, Frumteacher. I won't be writing about Mary Lincoln who was a very interesting character. Many forget that she was from the South and her family owned slaves. Lincoln was like so many in our nation during the Civil War with family members on each side.
Letha, so far you are the closest because my post will mention the buildings, but I won't necessarily write anything about New York.
The comments are fascinating. I was going to say the street lamps were covered in black but that seems trivial. Ford's Theater is going to close down? I better get back down to visit there. The first president to be embalmed. It's all grotesque. There seems to be something like a hot dog vendor in the photo.
I'll be back to see what you have to say!
The buildings? Hmmm. Townhouses, stoops, stairs, shutters on the windows? They're Walk-ups? How they're decorated? These are not tenements, but could be forerunners of apartment buildings.
You just posted something about Teddy Roosevelt. Lincoln's Funeral passed by Teddy Roosevelt's birthplace at 28 East 20th Street - right off Fifth Avenue.
FYI Here is a bird's eye view of lower New York in 1865. http://chnm.gmu.edu/lostmuseum/lm/360/
This photo does not show E. 20th...
Yes, I know that. I just thought it was an interesting tidbit.
I was trying to place the park because all of the ones I know would have been on the right side (unless the plate is reversed). This could be what was later known as Union Square 14th Street. I'll be curious to find out which one it is!
It does have to do with Teddy Roosevelt! He and his brother Elliot are peeking out of the window of their grandfather's house (849 Broadway on the left corner). Elliot would become the father of Eleanor Roosevelt.
Yes, they are peeking out the window. The brownstone is their grandfather's. In the 1830s Cornelius Roosevelt moved there....several sources state he lived at 14th Street at Union Square.
Would it still be there? Or was it torn down?
I know TR's birthplace was torn down and then rebuilt as an exact replica.
No, that townhouse (or mansion) no longer exists. (A brownstone is something quite different and very specific in New York; it's worthy of another posting.)
While that area was quite fashionable until about the turn of the 20th century, it has changed a great deal over the past century. Several department stores have come and gone from that spot. In the late '60's through the late '80's, it was almost derelict. It's a rather interesting mixture of buildings and people, shops and restaurants. There's a great greenmarket in Union Square. There is also a wonderful equestrian statue of George Washington which was there at the time of the photo.
I spent a lot of time taking photos of the candles, teddy bears, and tributes immediately after September 11th at Union Square.
Since I'm in a trivia mood, Grace Episcopal Church (absolutely gorgeous!) is nearby (10th and Broadway) and the architect was James Renwick (Smithsonian Castle and St. Patrick's Cathedral). David Duchovny's mother was the organist there, he was an alumnus of the school, and married in the courtyard. I don't know if any of the Roosevelt family were members; I'll try to find out!
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