Though it's most notable resident was President Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State William Seward, the entire Seward family left their mark on history, so it's fitting that the historical site I recently visited is called the Seward House Museum.
While William was off working in Albany as Governor, or in Washington D.C. as a NY Senator & later as Secretary of State, his wife Frances was using their Auburn home as part of the Underground Railroad. Daughter Fanny is responsible for the most complete diary of a young lady in Washington during the Civil War. Sons Augustus & Frederick were attacked at their father's D.C. home on April 14, 1865 by Lewis Powell, though his sole target was William Seward (Sr), who was given to him by John Wilkes Booth, who shot President Lincoln that same evening while at Ford's Theatre. Son William Jr. had a knack for money & banking, and would inherit the estate after both of his parents had died.
If you are looking to visit a home where more than 95% of the items belonged to the family, this is the house for you! Almost everything is original to the home & family, and with it's connection to the Underground Railroad, it makes it a must-see. This is my second visit, and in both tours (which often last around an hour or even more) I learned a great deal of information & walked away feeling like I knew the family personally. It's one of those historical sites where you learn something new every time.
I love the library, the shelves with Fanny Seward's book collection, the gallery of notables, and the green couch that William Seward passed away on. There are also a few relics from the assassination attempt. I would have loved to have spent some time in the garden, but there was a great deal of work going on so...next time!
While William was off working in Albany as Governor, or in Washington D.C. as a NY Senator & later as Secretary of State, his wife Frances was using their Auburn home as part of the Underground Railroad. Daughter Fanny is responsible for the most complete diary of a young lady in Washington during the Civil War. Sons Augustus & Frederick were attacked at their father's D.C. home on April 14, 1865 by Lewis Powell, though his sole target was William Seward (Sr), who was given to him by John Wilkes Booth, who shot President Lincoln that same evening while at Ford's Theatre. Son William Jr. had a knack for money & banking, and would inherit the estate after both of his parents had died.
If you are looking to visit a home where more than 95% of the items belonged to the family, this is the house for you! Almost everything is original to the home & family, and with it's connection to the Underground Railroad, it makes it a must-see. This is my second visit, and in both tours (which often last around an hour or even more) I learned a great deal of information & walked away feeling like I knew the family personally. It's one of those historical sites where you learn something new every time.
I love the library, the shelves with Fanny Seward's book collection, the gallery of notables, and the green couch that William Seward passed away on. There are also a few relics from the assassination attempt. I would have loved to have spent some time in the garden, but there was a great deal of work going on so...next time!
 Front of the Seward House |  Library, with bust of close friend, Abraham Lincoln |  Parlor, with portraits of the Seward children. The centerpiece is a posthumous painting of daughter Fanny, who died at the young age of 21, and was her father's favorite. |
 William Seward was known for his dinner parties; here is a table setting that was often used |  William Seward's gallery of world-known leaders & great minds of the time that he met during his lifetime. These were often given to him as gifts by those he met with, such as two portraits of Queen Victoria. |  Side view of the magnificent Seward house. |
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