♪♪ >>> ON APRIL 15th, 1865, PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS ASSASSINATED.

FOLLOWING HIS DEATH, HIS BODY WAS CARRIED ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON A FUNERAL TRAIN THAT WAS DUBBED "THE LINCOLN SPECIAL."

IT MADE 13 STOPS, INCLUDING IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

THAT LED TO RUMORS FLYING AROUND ABOUT WHETHER LINCOLN'S BODY HAD BEEN STORED IN THE BASEMENT OF A HIGH STREET RESTAURANT DURING THE TRAIN'S STOP IN COLUMBUS.

CURIOUS, WE DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE.

>> WOSU'S CURIOUS C-BUS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR REGION, ITS HISTORY, AND ITS PEOPLE.

ON APRIL 15th, 1865, PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS ASSASSINATED.

FOLLOWING HIS DEATH, HIS BODY TRAVELED ON A FUNERAL TRAIN DUBBED "THE LINCOLN SPECIAL."

THIS TOUR ALLOWED MOURNERS FROM SEVERAL STATES TO SEE THE PRESIDENT BEFORE HE WAS LAID TO REST IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

ONE OF THE 13 STOPS ON THAT TOUR WAS IN COLUMBUS.

TODAY'S QUESTION COMES FROM A VIEWER WHO HEARD A RUMOR THAT LINCOLN'S BODY WAS STORED IN THE BASEMENT OF A HIGH STREET RESTAURANT DURING THE FUNERAL TRAIN'S STOP IN COLUMBUS.

SO IS THAT TRUE?

LINCOLN'S BODY ARRIVED IN COLUMBUS ON APRIL 29th BUT DID NOT STAY OVERNIGHT.

SO LONG STORY SHORT, THE REMAINS WERE NOT STORED IN A RESTAURANT BASEMENT ON HIGH STREET OR ANYWHERE ELSE.

BUT A LOCAL COLUMBUS BUSINESS THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE FUNERAL TRAIN STOP WAS THE TAYLOR AND O'HARA FUNERAL PARLOR.

AN UNDERTAKER FROM THE FUNERAL HOME WAS HIRED TO ENSURE THAT PRESIDENT LINCOLN LOOKED PRESENTABLE TO THOUSANDS OF ONLOOKERS WHO VISITED HIS CASKET AT THE OHIO STATE HOUSE.

ONE TASK OF THE UNDERTAKER WAS TO CLEAN THE DUST THAT GATHERED ON LINCOLN'S FACE.

ACCORDING TO ONE FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT, THE THOUSANDS OF VISITORS STIRRED UP SO MUCH DUST THAT, QUOTE, EACH NIGHT THE BODY HAD TO BE WASHED OF A QUARTER INCH OF DUST THAT LAY UPON THE FACE.

ANOTHER WAY THE PRESIDENT'S BODY WAS KEPT PRESENTABLE WAS WITH FLOWERS.

THE FRAME WHERE THE CASKET WAS PLACED WAS COVERED IN LILACS.

THE CASKET CRUSHED THE FLOWERS, RELEASING A SWEET SMELL INTO THE ROTUNDA TO MASK THE ODOR.

MANY BUSINESSES AND HOUSEHOLDS IN COLUMBUS DRAPED THEIR BUILDINGS AND HOMES IN BLACK AS A WAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUNERAL.

A LARGE FUNERAL PROCESSION FULL OF PROMINENT COLUMBUS CITIZENS MARCHED THE REMAINS FROM UNION STATION TO THE OHIO STATE HOUSE.

THE COLUMNS IN FRONT OF THE STATE HOUSE WERE ALSO DRAPED IN BLACK, AND ABOVE THE FRONT ENTRANCE THERE WAS A SIGN THAT DISPLAYED ONE OF LINCOLN'S FAMOUS QUOTES -- "WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE, WITH CHARITY FOR ALL."

IT'S SAID THAT 50,000 OHIOANS SAW THE PRESIDENT ON THAT DAY.

>> DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR HEAD TO WOSU.ORG/CBUS AND VOTE ON WHICH QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE NEXT AND SEE WHAT WE'VE COVERED SO FAR.

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