Washington has a hilltop hideaway where history still feels close enough to touch. President Lincoln’s Cottage, on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Northwest Washington, is where Abraham Lincoln spent the summers of 1862, 1863 and 1864 — a full quarter of his presidency — and where he developed the Emancipation Proclamation. On November 10, this beloved place opens its doors after hours for a special free evening that brings its story of brave ideas into the present.
At 6:00 pm, the Cottage and The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation host “Closing Reception: The New Civic Path” in the Emancipation Room, the third and final event in their joint series. Author Rich Harwood leads an in-person Community Book Talk on his book “The New Civic Path: Restoring Our Belief in One Another and Our Nation,” exploring what a new civic path means for our communities, especially in the wake of the 2026 midterm elections. Light refreshments will be served, copies of the book will be for sale on site, and tickets are free through the Cottage’s official website.
Arrive early and make an evening of it: a special pre-talk guided tour runs from 5:00 to 6:00 pm, limited to just 24 participants. And any day of the week, the Cottage rewards a visit — award-winning Signature Tours run hourly from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, the self-guided Lincoln’s Wild Home Landscape Tour winds through nine stops across the leafy grounds, and the Visitor Education Center is free to explore.
President Lincoln’s Cottage, at 140 Rock Creek Church Road NW, is open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. It is a peaceful, inspiring place to reflect, learn and gather — just as Lincoln once did.
Photo: President Lincoln’s Cottage
