It all started in Manchester during the summer of 1863. To escape Washington’s heat, First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, accompanied by her sons Robert and Tad, takes rooms in the historic Equinox Inn. The elegance of the town, with houses in the Federal and Greek Revival styles, the sidewalks of marble, exerts an enduring spell on the family. Mary will return after the President’s assassination, and stay in a clapboard farmhouse outside Dorset; Robert will build a monument, his country seat, Hildene, in 1905. Join Ed as he describes his recent tour of the area by highlighting Robert’s Georgian masterpiece. In addition to the house, still ensconced within its original 400 acres, the farm serves students and the public as a prime example of today’s sustainable agriculture.