Michael Maione: "On Duty at Ford's Theatre"
by Joseph E. Garrera
Lincoln Herald, Volume 105 Number 1 (Spring 2003):15-18.
Editor's Note: Joseph E. Garrera is the President of the Lincoln Group of New York. Michael Maione passed away on February 21, 2003 at the age of 57.
Left: Michael Maione. Right: Joseph E. Garrera. Courtesy of the author.
"One person can make a difference." On February 21, 2003, one of those special people passed into history when Michael Maione, a ranger for the National Park Service and historian at Ford's Theatre national historic site in Washington, D.C., died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He was 57.
Widely known to Lincoln scholars and highly respected for his knowledge and ultra passionate pursuit of history, Maione will be deeply missed by all that made his acquaintance. As site historian at Ford's Theatre he interacted with the public on a daily basis, a duty he cherished and respected since first being assigned to Ford's Theatre in November 1990.
Starting on July 27, 2001 this writer conducted a series of interviews with Michael maione that were intended to reveal the perspectives of a park ranger intricately involved in Lincoln studies. Never intended as a final tribute - that is nonetheless what these informative interviews have now become.
Ranging freely we started our conversations when I asked Maione for his thoughts on Carl Sandburg, the great poet whose 1939 Lincoln biography The War Years remains the Lincoln publication with the greatest distribution to the general public. "From a purely scholarly point of view, Carl Sandburg receives some sharp criticism because among other points, his books have no footnotes, no backup as to his source material. But what carl Sandburg did do, is the fact that he gave many people notice about Mr. Lincoln's life. Enormous numbers of people were introduced to Mr. Lincoln because of Carl Sandburg. He created interest in Mr. Lincoln's life," said Maione.
"Many people knew about Mr. Lincoln because they enjoyed reading carl Sandburg's books, and you cannot ignore this fact. It's a true credit to Carl Sandburg. Sandburg's books generated interest in Mr. lincoln's life. And because of Sandburg, the public read more books about Mr. Lincoln. So we have to give Carl Sandburg a lot of credit for that alone."
Mr. Maione addressed the small group of scholars who today severely criticize Sandburg for his lack of scholarly rigor and footnotes. I think it's unnecessary to be harsh against Sandburg's work. After all, nobody has done more to let the public know more about Mr. Lincoln's life than Sandburg, and that's the important point. We should not trivialize and never forget."
Our discussion shifted to the number of people that visit Ford's Theatre each year. "About one million people visit Ford's each year, and the most common question asked is - why is that picture of George Washington hanging from the state box? The second question asked is if the wallpaper in the state box is authentic from the Lincoln assassination. And, it seems to me that the third most common question the public asked concerns the chairs that are in the state box," said Maione.
Maione promptly proceeded to answer these common questions. "The picture of GEORGE Washington is there because it is the one that was actually there that night (April 14, 1865). It's the authentic image of Washington that was owned by John T. Ford. The Ford family owned that picture," said Maione. "As to the red wallpaper, the answer is no, the wallpaper is a reproduction of what was there and it is not authentic other than the fact that it looks like the real thing. And the chairs are not authentic from the time period, they resemble the real chairs, but they are not the actual chairs that were here the night of April 14, 1865. But the couch in the state box is authentic from the assassination," said Maione.
The Ford's Theatre site historian explained why approximately one million visitors cram into the 19th century theater each year. "They come here for one reason. They know something about the assassination - they know something but they want to know more! They want to know: where the president was sitting; where Booth entered the theater; was Booth part of the play that night; where Booth was standing when he shot the president; how did Booth get away? Those are some of the most common questions the public wants to know." Maione also fielded more intriguing questions over the years. "I once had a question that asked who was Laura Keene's backup that night - a very good question that I did not have the answer to. Another visitor once asked - who gave Mr. Lincoln the title The Great Emancipator, and I don't know the answer to that question right to this day," Maione said.
I asked Maione if, more than a decade of duty at Ford's Theatre had changed his perspective on America's 16th president. "Changed me? Of course! I've learned much more about the assassination - much more! There's always more to learn. I've learned the very real fact that Mr. Lincoln still lives, he still has tremendous moral power, he still resonates with the public," said Maione. "You notice I never call him Lincoln. It's always - Mr. Lincoln. I address him as Mr. Lincoln because his spirit is always present. In fact, in the many years I have served as historian here at Ford's Theatre I have become much more respectful - much more respectful of Mr. Lincoln than I was back when I started," said Maione.
I asked the Ford's Theatre historian what had elevated his respect for the Lincoln presidency. "Well, I realized how he saved our country. Where would we be if Mr. Lincoln had not saved our Union?" How respectful, I wondered, is the public of Mr. Lincoln when they visit the theater? "They are very respectful - very respectful, especially the adults. Even the young students, the sixth graders, the seventh, and eighth graders who are just beginning to understand the importance of Mr. Lincoln they are also respectful. Of course, they are young students so they are still learning," said Maione.
Enormous numbers of students flock to Ford's Theatre in the spring. Maione noted, "April, May, and June are the busiest months. Our day starts before eight a.m. with convoys of school busses arriving with youngsters lining up around the block, double lines. They pack the theater all morning long and all afternoon - group after group, after group. This goes on until around three p.m. This level of intensity continues for approximately three months. During this period more than 5,000 visitors a day pack this place. Remember, the theater is open every day, seven days a week, even holidays. We are only closed on Christmas. Most people do not realize we are open 364 days each year. We are open on Thanksgiving, Easter Sunday - all holidays but Christmas. We are open to the general public at no charge for admission," said Maione. For those considering a trip to Ford's Theatre Maione advised, "Late September is the best time to visit Ford's; it's less stressful and you have the opportunity to talk to the rangers one-on-one."
The conversation shifted as Maione offered his thoughts on Ann Rutledge and her legendary relationship with the young Lincoln. "I think Mr. Lincoln loved Ann Rutledge and I think she died before he could marry her. I suspect that Mr. Lincoln wanted to marry Ann Rutledge." I asked him if he thought William Herndon's assessment of The Lincoln's marriage was an accurate assessment of reality. He responded, "I would tend to agree that at times the Lincoln marriage was an unhappy marriage but that's only at times! I suspect that the Lincoln marriage also had its share of good times. I would say that it is an injustice and over simplification to characterize the Lincoln marriage as an unhappy marriage."
Turning to Lincoln biographies, I asked about the best single volume of Lincoln biographies. "I think the best single volume ever written was the work of Benjamin Thomas in 1952. It is succinct. Ranked right next to this volume is David Herbert Donald's 1995 biography titled Lincoln, which is loaded with all sorts of facts, "said Maione.
While we were discussing books I asked Maione how many books constituted the Ford's Theatre Lincoln library. "We have approximately 850 books in our archives that constitute the assassination, the Civil War, and Mr. Lincoln's life. Most people do not know it but our library of Lincoln publications is available to the public for research purposes by advance appointment."
Maione singled out the fascinating artifacts in the lower level museum housed at Ford's Theatre. "The murder weapon, the .44 caliber single shot derringer certainly stands out, and so does the knife used by Booth to attack Major Rathbone. These are infamous artifacts of history but they certainly grab the public's attention. We have plenty of historic relics in our museum at Ford's. One great item is the coat that Mr. Lincoln wore to the theater that night It is encased in glass and probably creates as much curiosity with the public as anything we have. We have a number of fascinating artifacts of history. We have Dr. Mudd's medical bag that he used to tend to John Wilkes Booth, we have Booth's notebook too. We have Booth's pistols and a number of artifacts related to the assassination that we obtained from the Adjutant General's office, the prosecutor's office, i.e. the prosecution office that prosecuted the trial of 1865. We obtained an incredible amount of material from them in the 1960s."
Does the public seek to enlarge the storehouse of historical artifacts by contacting you concerning Lincoln artifacts they have discovered? "Oh, sure, an a regular basis, we even have one gentleman come in who was certain that he had discovered a copy of the Gettysburg Address in Lincoln's hand. People frequently come to us with so-called finds they have made. But never in my tenure at Ford's has anyone ever brought in anything that was of any value," said Maione.
I asked if the public's perception of the assassination has changed over the years. "It sure has. Years ago many people visited Ford's thinking that Lincoln's secretary of war Edwin Stanton was part of the conspiracy to assassinate Mr. Lincoln. Today, only a very small percentage of people bring up that myth which was started by Otto Eisenschiml in 1937 when he wrote a book entitled Why Was Lincoln Murdered? The book implied that Edwin Stanton was a key player in the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. But, of course, we know that Eisenschiml was completely wrong."
Maione was eager to voice his top recommendations of books that deal with the Lincoln assassination. "My first recommendation, as an excellent starting point, is Twenty Days by the Kunhardts, published in 1965. This book is heavy on photographs and it assists the reader by telling the story in pictures. It's an easy-easy read that chronicles the whole story from the assassination of April 14th to the burial twenty days later. My second choice would be The Lincoln Murder Conspiracies by William Hanchett, authored in 1983. This book presents the many theories that have been offered about how Mr. Lincoln was killed. It is a well researched book filled with good facts, lots of facts. I can't say enough good things about The Lincoln Murder Conspiracies." Maione also praised Come Retribution, coauthored by William A. Tidwell, James O. Hall, and David W. Gaddy in 1988. "I would also include Dr. Edward Steers' Blood on the Moon: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Steers ties it all together in a single volume that tells the story in a clear and concise manner. And I should add that Steers is the 900-pound gorilla when it comes to assassination studies. He's the absolute heavyweight."
We discussed the Petersen House, the dwelling across the street where President Lincoln died on April 15, 1865. I asked Maione if the bed located in the back room where Lincoln died is original. "No, the bed in the Petersen House is not original. It only looks similar to the original. The real bed is in a museum in Chicago. There is only one small cedar chest in the Petersen House that may have been there that night - may have been there that night, but nobody can confirm it," said Maione.
I was in the back bedroom where Mr. Lincoln died a few years back. It was a Sunday and I was working the Petersen House. A woman walked in and stood there for minutes on end. She just kept standing there in the exact same spot. This went on for nearly half an hour. If it had not been a slow day I would have asked her to move on. Then, she turned, looked at me and blurted out, 'Now I can die - now I can die. I've been here in the room where Lincoln died - now I can die' and she walked out. That was an extreme case, but what does happen on a regular basis is the fact that adults cry, or shed tears as they depart the back bedroom where Mr. Lincoln died. Sometimes children are afraid to enter the room where he died. They think there is a body in the room and they are fearful of it," said Maione, who went on to explain how, after nearly a century and a half, the Petersen House still commands the power to effect a visitor's emotions.
Our thoughts refocused on Ford's Theatre as the site of Lincoln's assassination. How many people were in the theater on the night of April 14, 1865? "We tell the public there were about 1,700 people in the theater that night. And, of course, no one has an exact account. This is simply our best estimate based on accounts by the Ford brothers," said Maione.
I explained to Maione that I have always been fascinated by the hole that John Wilkes Booth supposedly whittled in the door of the state box creating a peephole so that he could better plot the assassination timing. "Well, to the Park Service, there is no official position concerning the peephole in the door. All we can do is point out to the public that we have a letter dated 1862 from Frank Ford, a son of Harry Clay Ford, the brother of John T. Ford. In this letter Frank Ford states his father told that Booth did not drill a hole in the door. And we have no reason to believe that the letter is not credible. And I believe what the letter states. What reason would this man have to lie?" said Maione.
Maione spoke about souvenir hunters that saved items of value associated with the assassination. "They especially attacked the house where Mr. Lincoln died. They wanted pieces of the wallpaper, the rug, anything they could get their hands on. The public wanted anything they could get. They called them relics. In fact, Willie Petersen even complained about the situation in a letter to his sister," said Maione. As to Ford's Theatre, Maione thought that fewer were scavenged from that site, because Ford's Theatre was immediately closed, and within weeks it was gutted. "Most everything was put in the trash, little remained for the relic hunters to scavenge."
We concluded our formal interview with Maione stating, "Mr. Lincoln had visited Ford's Theatre at least a dozen times.* The theater opened in August of 1863 and Mr. Lincoln had been a frequent guest.** He loved opera so he attended several operas here at Ford's, not just plays. For anybody looking to find the essence of Mr. Lincoln's presence, Ford's Theatre is an ideal place to start," said Maione.
"If I have learned anything of my years here at Ford's theatre, it's not what tragedy struck America, instead, aside from learning more details of the assassination, I have come to understand what greatness really means. I have come to understand how truly great Mr. Lincoln was and how he preserved this nation."
Maione's dedication to duty at Ford's Theatre was impressive. Through his determination and leadership, Ford's Theatre has become more than a national historic site, more than the location where a momentous event in American history took place. It has become a venue for scholarship, a place where distinguished historians gather to debate the Lincoln theme and the legacy of the 16th president.
Dr. Edward Steers, Jr., a leading authority on the Lincoln assassination, fondly remembers Maione, "I think the one word that best describes Mike Maione is passion. He had a passion for history and a heightened passion for Abraham Lincoln. There are those who come to work and those who never leave work. Mike Maione was one of the latter," Steers said.
Mike Maione was not a perfect man; neither was Abraham Lincoln. Yet, unlike so many others, Michael Maione made a difference. Through his position as historian at Ford's Theatre he advance the study of history. He inspired countless numbers of young people to learn more about the legacy of America's 16th president. His work, like that of Mr. Lincoln, has made a lasting contribution. And now, like Abraham Lincoln, Michael Maione "belongs to the ages."
* Internet Editor's Note: The official study of Ford's Theatre by George J. Olszewski (Historic Structure Report. Restoration of Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., Washington: U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, 1963) lists twelve occasions when Lincoln visited Ford's Theatre. To this list we must add a thirteenth occasion: Friday, February 10, 1865, when Lincoln visited the theater to see Love in Livery starring John Sleeper Clarke. Generals U. S. Grant and Ambrose Burnside accompanied Lincoln. This was just eight weeks before Booth assassinated Lincoln. Washington Evening Star, 11 February 1865, p. 2, col. 6.
** Internet Editor's Note: The theater first opened under John T. Ford's ownership on March 19, 1862. On December 30, 1862, the theater was gutted by fire.The theater reopened on August 27, 1863. Ford used the opportunity to completely redo the theater.