The President’s Day Holiday offers an opportunity to learn a lesson or two outside the school building. That was the case Monday in downtown Lexington.
The Mary Todd Lincoln House, the childhood home of the 16th president’s wife, was bustling with children ages 5 to 10 moving from room to room. Gwen Thompson is the house director. “So it’s a great day when we put the focus on the kids and we don’t even have to worry about the adults who want to know more higher level adultee things,” said Thompson.
The theme of the special program was the role of the first lady as hostess, campaigner, and activist. In one room sat Linda Scott, portraying Mary Todd Lincoln, whom she says was well educated, forwarded thinking, and raised to believe in herself. “Took that into Washington and I believe was very much a force with her husband to help affect the change that happened in those years, although she was a dedicated wife and mother as well,” added Scott.
The Mary Todd Lincoln House is over 200 years old. But, it had many uses after the Todd family moved out of it in the 1800’s. It was used as a warehouse for a hardware distributor before it became a museum in 1977.?
