For 23 years, Laurie Verge has been the director of the Surratt House Museum. The Clinton, Md., site focuses on the conspiracy to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.
What is the Surratt House?
Its history goes back to 1852, when it was built for John and Mary Surratt. It had a tavern, a public dining room for travelers. It became the post office and polling place, a hub for the community. It was functioning this way during the great debate that led to the Civil War.
What did the community think about Lincoln?
I can tell you, there were a lot of dirty names that people called Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Surratt was a vocal secessionist. Youngest son John quickly became a courier for espionage, and the tavern servedas a Confederate safe house. Food and spies could be hidden here or they could pass along secret messages from Washington. In the fall of 1864, Maryland outlawed slavery, so Mary had to rent out this home and move to a home on H Street in Washington. That’s were she started the infamous boarding house. Her son John caught the attention of John Wilkes Booth. Members of the gang would meet at the house, and hide rifles and ammunition here at the country home. [When a kidnapping attempt against Lincoln failed,] Booth turned to the assassination on April 14, 1865. Booth fled to the Surratt Tavern, the first stop on the escape that would last 12 days.
Where is the boarding house?
The H Street home still stands. It’s now 604 H Street, the Wok n’ Roll restaurant.
What happened to Mrs. Surratt?
Mrs. Surratt got herself arrested, tried and convicted and hanged, marking the first time a woman was executed by the federal government. People today still argue about [her role in the plot]. We don’t try to persuade them either way. The museum is not a memorial to Mary. We want them to get so interested that they want to read more to get their own opinion.
