History Talk, Schmidt House, 330 Schmidt Pl SW, Tumwater
Noon, Thursday, October 1, 2026
Lincoln, Civil War, and the Pacific Northwest
Discover how Abraham Lincoln shaped our region, one he never visited – and how the Pacific Northwest, in turn, helped shape the Union he fought to preserve. Long before the Civil War, Lincoln was offered a leadership role in the Oregon Territory (which included modern-day Washington), a little-known sign of the Pacific Northwest’s national importance. As President, Lincoln confronted Confederate plots to seize Western gold, unleash privateers, and build a pro-slavery Pacific empire. Blending political intrigue, frontier defense, Native policy, and maritime history, author and historian Ira Wesley Kitmacher reframes the Civil War from the nation’s western edge.
Ira Wesley Kitmacher has served as a Georgetown graduate professor, a retired senior federal executive, a county history commissioner, a columnist, and a frequent public speaker on history and folklore. He is the author of 10 published/forthcoming books on American and European history and folklore, including two new books on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.
Attendance is free. Doors open at 11:30 AM. First come, first seated until room capacity is reached.
For more info:
Karen Johnson, Curator
Olympia Tumwater Foundation
www.olytumfoundation.org
karen@olytumfoundation.org
360-890-2299
