The Journey of the President-Elect Interactive

Follow Abraham Lincoln’s thirteen-day train journey from his home in Springfield, Illinois, to his inauguration in Washington, D.C., along with his family. The trip became a personal triumph as Lincoln spoke to enthusiastic, welcoming crowds everywhere, from small towns to state capitals, until he cut the trip short because of a suspected assassination plot. View 1861 newspaper accounts and images that detail what happened on each day of the trip.

The Long Journey Home Interactive

Follow the journey of the train that carried Abraham Lincoln’s body back from Washington, D.C., to Springfield, Illinois, for burial after his assassination in 1865. Millions of mourners gathered along the tracks to see the train pass. Massive displays were conducted in small towns and principal cities, where throngs lined the streets to pay tribute to the slain president. Newspaper accounts and images from the time detail what happened during each day of the thirteen-day journey.