Lexington’s Mary Todd Lincoln House didn’t miss a day of tours after a man was arrested early Thursday morning and charged with trying to burn it down. Gwen Thompson is the director of the historic home on West Main Street. She said the house isn’t just a Lexington, or Kentucky, landmark.
“We are the childhood home of Mary Lincoln, who of course, was First Lady and the wife of President Abraham Lincoln. We are the first historic site restored for first lady. So that's very unique.”
Thompson said the home’s security system alerted police, and no damage was done to the home where Mary Todd spent her teenage years. Thompson said future president Abraham Lincoln visited several times, including a lengthy stay when his family was on their way to the nation’s capitol.
“Abraham and Mary Lincoln were here for three weeks in 1847, along with their two children who were born at the time, they were traveling from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, DC for Lincoln's congressional term.”
Lincoln served just one term. The next elective office he held was that of American president. Santosh Sarma, the man police arrested early Thursday morning, faces attempted arson and other charges.
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