Wallpaper from the collection of the Chicago Historic Society Now known as the Chicago History Museum. These pieces were scraped off the wall of the Peterson House by reporter shortly after Lincoln's death. In fact batches of this wall paper were cut off and preserved by many.
A photo of the room Lincoln died in on April 15, 1865 This picture was taken the late morning of April 15, 1865. You will notice the wall paper, the paintings, the bed, the bloody pillows, sheets and bedspread. many of these items went the ways of the 4 winds. Sadly much has been lost. The bed exists in Chicago, as does a few items from the room. But the bedspread existed for a while and then vanished in the early 20th century. An industry existed on the day of Lincoln's death of taking cotton fabric and swabbing it onto the drying blood all around to create more relics for an endless grouping of people who wanted it.
Also a few other pieces of that wall paper from that room that has been enlarged. These have become in American historical relics today. In fact they have taken on an near religious quality as Lincoln has long since been looked as human and more of Christ figure in the history of the American republic.
It is faded and losing some of its colors, but it is what it is and documented as such.
It is always interesting to touch a piece of history. In this case so much of that wall paper was scraped off the wall. The room had borders and decorative papers. It is none the less amazing to touch this stuff. Sadly a large amount of those papers have vanished and been lost. So there are just a handful of people and places that have the wall paper.
I will write more about the assassination shortly.
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