Lincoln’s Cottage - the Civil War ‘Summer White House’

Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home served as President Abraham Lincoln’s country residence and working retreat during parts of the Civil War (1862–1864). Lincoln used the cottage to escape the White House, receive visitors, and work on matters of state; historians document that he drafted and revised important wartime documents there, including material related to the Emancipation Proclamation. The site is preserved as a museum and educational center interpreting Lincoln’s presidency and wartime leadership. It is one of the few surviving places in Washington where Lincoln lived and worked outside the White House.