I decided to retrace Johns Wilkes Booth's escape route he used immediately after assassinating President Lincoln on the evening of April 14, 1865. After shooting President Lincoln at Ford's theater, Booth fled on his horse across town, up past capitol hill and to the 11th street bridge. Booth crossed the Anacostia river into Maryland and south toward Clinton, Marlyand. Booth and a fellow conspirator stopped at the Surratt house and tavern to retrieve weapons and ammunition. Then further south to Dr. Mudd's house to have his broken leg tended to (recall he broke his leg leaping from the president's box at Ford's theater after shooting Lincoln). After leaving Dr. Mudd's house, Booth fled across the Potomac river into Virginia where he was tracked down and trapped at Garrett's farm and shot on April 26, 1865, twelve days after killing Lincoln.
I started out early. I had a beautiful cruise down Old Georgetown Pike, which is a great two lane road that winds it's way through horse country and skirts McLean, VA. Heading south on Rt. 123, I pulled on to the George Washington Parkway. The GW Parkway is a terrific National Park that is a tree lined road that winds it's path to match the curves of the Potomac river heading south toward Washington. If it weren't for the occasional glimps of the Georgetown University spirers and the top of the Washington Monument, you would have no idea you were close to a major metropolitan area. The GW Parkway is a great ride and highly recommended. I crossed into the District over the Key bridge, which dumps you into the middle of Georgetown. Plenty of great architecture, shops, and restaurants to glance at while heading into town.
I pulled up Pennsylvania avenue, turning left on 18th street because they no longer allow anyone to drive down Pennsylvania Ave in front of the White House. I worked my way back down to F street by turning right on 10th street. Ford's theater is on 10th street, but instead of heading to the front on the theater, I wanted to see if I could take the alley off of F street and get to the rear stage door of Ford's theater. The reason I was interested in the rear stage door is because Booth had a boy hold his horse there for his escape. I was able to work my way back there and took a picture of my "horse" by that same door. I was able to start my escape route from the very spot Booth started from!
Here's a picture from in front of Ford's Theater (that building to the right with two lamps is the Star Saloon, where Booth "worked up the courage" to shoot the president):
And turning the camera 180 degrees from that view to the building where they carried Lincoln. He died there seven hours after being shot by Booth (it's the brick building being pointed to by my handlebars).
Just as Booth had done, I headed down the alley, took a left up another alley and a right onto F street toward Capitol Hill, working my way toward 11th street NE beyond the Capitol Building. I headed across I-295 (same location where the 11th street bridge had been in 1865) and into Anicostia.
From there I traced Booth's route south along Branch Road (Rt. 5), catching Old Branch Road where I could because that's the actual road traveled by Booth that night. Right along the very road Booth fled is Clinton Cycles Triumph:
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