Sharon Gamble

President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home National Monument
National Trust for Historic Preservation

With a goal to learn more about building conservation, I was fortunate to receive an internship with the National Trust for Historic Preservation to work on the Lincoln Cottage preservation project. The Lincoln Cottage, also know as the President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home National Monument, is located on North Capitol Street in Washington, DC, and was the site where President Lincoln spent his summers during his Presidency. The exterior restoration of the Lincoln Cottage had been completed in 2006, and my primary responsibility was to compile a Completion Report on this restoration. This responsibility included reviewing and compiling documentation on the building conditions, preservation protocols implemented, activities performed, and lessons learned. This report included the restoration approach for the masonry, stucco, windows and doors, roofing, painting, and hardware. My additional responsibilities included participation in local government pre-design review, conducting visitor surveys for the draft tour program, and assisting in the presentation of the restoration status to the residents of the Soldiers’ Home. This internship provided me with a wonderful opportunity to see how multiple facets of historic preservation – including building conservation, interpretive programs, construction management, regulatory compliance, and community outreach – all came together for the successful restoration of a historic site.