Ford’s Theatre was originally a house of worship built in 1833 as the First Baptist Church. Ford’s was opened in 1863 by John T. It was used to be called Ford’s Athenaeum, but was destroyed in a fire in 1862. Ford’s was rebuilt the following year with seating for 2400 people. In between 1866 and 1867 the theatre was taken over by the US government. In 1887 Ford’s became a clerk’s office for war, but on June 9, 1893 the front part of the building collapsed killing 22 clerks and injuring 68. This led people to believe the building was cursed.
Abraham Lincoln was shot in box 7 by John Wilkes Booth on April 15, 1865. Booth shot Lincoln with point 44 caliber single shot derringer 10 inches from the head at near point blank range. Lincoln was seeing “Our American Cousins” when assassinated. Booth stabbed Rathbone in the arm and jumped 12 feet below. On his way down he caught the spur of his boot and broke his left ankle. Once landed Booth yelled “Sic Semper Tyrannis” which means always to the Tyrants then ran out the back door and make his great escape on a horse.
By: Lilah and Morgan
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