It is hard to believe that Annual is less than four months away!  Have you registered?  If you are interested in sharing housing, the YALSA wiki has a page specifically for roommate requests.

Since Abraham Lincoln’s birthday was in February, the Local Arrangements committee thought we would highlight things to do in Washington D.C. that are related to President Lincoln.  One thing you cannot miss is the Lincoln Memorial.  It is free and open 24 hours a day, although it is only staffed with park rangers 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM.  The memorial is a beautiful structure that honors the memory of a beloved president and all he stood for.  It also played an important part in our nation’s history: Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous  “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the memorial.  Lincoln and his memorial even stepped on to the pop culture stage when the statue came to life in the recent movie Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.  One can learn more about the memorial by exploring the National Park Service site dedicated to the memorial.

If you wish to get even closer to Lincoln, Ford’s Theatre is where he spent his last night out.  In addition to still being a working theatre with many scheduled performances, it also houses a museum devoted to Abraham Lincoln.  A visit to the theatre’s museum also includes the Peterson House across the street, where Lincoln died after being shot.  Daytime admission to the museum is free, although tickets are timed and must be acquired in advance, either the morning of your visit or on-line for a small fee.  You can also learn about Ford’s Theatre performances on the website.