They put on fantastic shows at Ford’s Theatre, but it’s claim to fame is being the place that President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14th, 1865.

It started as a church in 1833, was converted to a theater in 1861, burned down and rebuilt in 1862, and served as a popular entertainment venue while the Civil War raged. The government purchased the building after Lincoln’s assassination and turned it into office buildings.

Ford’s Theater was finally renovated and restored to its former glory on January 30, 1968, debuting its first performance since Lincoln’s assassination. To this day, in honor of Lincoln, the Presidential Box is never occupied.