Objects from the National Museum of American History
1401 Locomotive
The “1401,” a 199-ton, 92-foot-long steam locomotive, was built in 1926 for the Southern Railway. In 1945, the “1401” pulled President Franklin Roosevelt’s funeral train along part of its journey to Washington, D.C.
The Huey 65-10091 was manufactured by Bell Helicopter in 1965 for the U.S. Army and deployed to Vietnam in 1966. It served with the 173rd Assault Helicopter Company, known as “The Robin Hoods,” and was shot down on January 7, 1967. After being repaired in the United States, it returned to service until 1995.
Top hat worn by Abraham Lincoln the night he was shot
Objects owned by or associated with Abraham Lincoln quickly became relics, reminding Americans of Lincoln's greatness and challenging them to keep his ideals alive. One of the Smithsonian Institution's most treasured icons is this top hat, worn by Lincoln to Ford's Theatre on the night of his assassination.
In 1776 Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on this portable lap desk of his own design. Featuring a hinged writing board and a locking drawer for papers, pens, and inkwell, the desk was Jefferson's companion as a revolutionary patriot, American diplomat, and president of the United States.
