The Collapse of Ford's Theater

Above, the front of Ford's Theater in 1982. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A mailer was received today from the Buffalo County (Nebraska) Historical Society.

It got me to thinking about my family's history in Shelton, Nebraska and the collapse of three upper floors of Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. in 1893.

At the time of the collapse, my great-grandfather, Charles S. Lucas (who later became the town doctor of Shelton, Nebraska during the first half of the 20th Century) was working in the building. He escaped injury. I visited Ford's Theater in 1982.

According to the blog, Boothiebarn.com:

On this date, June 9th, in 1893, a part of the three upper floors of Ford’s Theatre collapsed killing twenty two clerks and injuring over 100 more government employees. 

After the assassination of Lincoln, the government immediately seized Ford’s Theatre.  Military guards had been posted to the theatre and access was granted by War Department passes.  Matthew Brady was allowed to photograph the interior and members of the stage crew and orchestra were allowed to retrieve their items from within its walls.  After the execution of the conspirators on July 7th, 1865, John T. Ford was given permission to reopen his theatre.  He announced that the play, “The Octoroon” was to be performed on July 10th.  As is shown on the playbills and broadsides from “Our American Cousin”, “The Octoroon” was initially scheduled for April 15th.  While Ford sold over 200 tickets for the performance, there was also a large uproar over the theatre reopening after what had transpired within her walls.

After threats to the theater were made, Ford decided to close down the theater and the government purchased it.

The government decided its best option was to just retain the property.  They began paying John Ford $1,500 a month to lease his theatre.  By July of 1866, the government bought the property outright for Ford for $88,000.  Even before purchasing the building, the government had started renovating the theatre.  They transformed the interior into a three story office building.  In December of 1865, the Army Medical Museum moved into the third floor of the space.

Above, the restored Presidential Box in Ford's Theater in 1982. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The theater was turned over to the Department of the Interior and was renovated and restored to its 1865 appearance. It became a museum and working theater in 1968.

To read more, go here.

Family History

Above, the residence of Charles Lucas, M.D. in 1977.  Photo by Armand Vaquer. 

Digging around on family history today I found this write-up on my great-grandfather in a website on the History of Buffalo County (Nebraska) and Its People:

CHARLES LUCAS, M. D.

Dr. Charles Lucas has the reputation of being one of the foremost physicians
and surgeons of Shelton and Buffalo county. He fully recognizes the respon-
sibilities and obligations which devolve upon him in his professional capacity
and he is continually putting forth effort to advance his knowledge and pro-
mote his efficiency in the administration of remedial agencies to check the ravages of disease. Indiana claims him as a native son, his birth having occurred in
Monroe county, that state, on the 19th of November, 1866, his parents being
Peter and Elizabeth J. (Floyd) Lucas, both of whom were natives of Indiana,
where they were reared and married. In 1880 they became residents of Lucas
county, Iowa, and the mother passed away there in the same year. In 1884 the
father came to Nebraska, establishing his home in Custer county, where two
of his sons and a daughter were residing. He continued his residence there
up to the time of his demise, which occurred in 1888.

Dr. Charles Lucas is indebted to the public school system for the early educa-
tional opportunities which he enjoyed. Passing through consecutive grades,
he was at length graduated from the high school at Chariton, Iowa, with the
class of 1886 and in December of that year he came to Nebraska, where he



History of buffalo county 29

took up the profession of teaching, spending three years as a teacher in the
schools of Custer and Lincohi counties. During one year of that time he was
principal of the schools at Chappell, Nebraska. He regarded this, however,
merely as an initial step to other professional labor and in the fall of 1888 entered upon the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. John Murray of Arnold,Nebraska. In the fall of 1889 he entered the Omaha Medical College, now
the medical department of the Nebraska State University, pursuing his studies
there for a year. He then suspended his college work for a year, during which
period he was engaged in teaching and in clerking in a drug store in North
Platte, thus obtaining the funds which enabled him to continue his preparation
for the practice of medicine and surgery. During that period of clerkship he
passed the civil service examination and a month later received an appointment
in the war department at Washington, remaining for four years in the govern-
ment service. During that time he continued his medical studies by attending
night lectures at the University of Georgetown in Washington, D. C, from
which institution he was graduated with the class of 1893. He remained in the
government position for two years longer and continued to attend lectures and
clinics, but in 1895 resigned his position in Washington to return to Nebraska, 

since which time he has engaged in the practice of his profession in Shelton, 
building up a large and enviable practice. He is a thoroughly skilled physician 
and surgeon, his capability being demonstrated in the excellent results which 
have attended his efforts as he has ministered to the needs of the sick and 
suffering in this part of the county. 

On the 7th of September, 1893, Dr. Lucas was united in marriage to Miss 
Lida E. Campbell, of Garfield, Lincoln county, Nebraska. To them have been 
born three children, two of whom survive, Mary Gertrude and Charles Sinclair. 

In politics Dr. Lucas is independent, voting for men and measures rarlier 
than party. For four years he has served as a member of the board of health 
of Shelton and for the past seven years has been a member of the school board, 
putting forth effective eft'ort to promote the interests of education. 

Fraternally he is connected with Shelton Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and along strictlyprofessional lines he is connected with the Buffalo County Medical Society, whichhe joined on its organization, and with the Nebraska State Medical Society. His 
practice is free from hasty and ill formed judgments. He studies closely the 
needs of every individual case and never allows anything to interfere with the 
performance of his professional duties. 

Nebraska, 1977

Above, the family home in Shelton, Nebraska in 1977. My great-grandfather was the town doctor.

When my mom passed away last year, I inherited farm property in Nebraska.

The last (and only) time I've been there was in March 1977. My parents and I drove there in my parents' 1975 Gran Torino (shades of Clint Eastwood!).

There was still snow on the ground in Nebraska. In fact, there was snow from the time we entered Utah, then Colorado and Wyoming en route to Nebraska. And this was in, as I recall, a drought year.

Here's a couple of photos of the farm in Nebraska: