There are several excellent tours detailing John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of Abraham Lincoln. But how many of them are given by someone related to Booth and co-conspirator Mary Surratt?
Rick Snider is a distant cousin of Booth on his mother’s side and a third cousin of Surratt via his father’s side. (Rick’s also related to Frank and Jesse James and a few other miscreants, but also five U.S. presidents, two First Ladies and even European royalty so he’s not all bad.)
Rick offers both private and photo tours of the night Booth killed Lincoln. Starting at the Andrew Jackson statue in the middle of Lafayette Square by the White House (Farrgut North metro), Rick spends the next 90 minutes walking to Ford’s Theater telling tales along the way. How Booth extorted his co-conspirators into helping. Why Mary Surratt was guilty. How several people around Lincoln that night later went insane. What happened to the eight people found guilty of involvement.
Rick’s next Lincoln assassination tour is Aug. 24. For tickets, visit Goldstar.com after June 1. The tour is less than 1 mile and ends near Metro Center stations.
Lots of folks take Farragut North or West to reach the White House, but it’s very confusing when coming up to street level. My advice is look for the statue in the middle and then walk downhill from it. You’re heading to 17th & H Sts., turn left and head to park.
Private tours are also available for request for any size group. Just email Rick for rates.
