Pullman Kick Off

All Aboard At Hildene For Pullman Kick Off Celebration!

The Lincoln Family Home will host a Pullman Kick Off Celebration from  All are invited to get “on board” as the community portion of Hildene’s campaign to bring its 1903 Pullman car, the “Sunbeam” home to Manchester from Lancaster, South Carolina gets officially “on track.”  A fun filled event is being planned for the entire family that will include a scavenger hunt, spike driving contest, crafts, train wagon rides through the Apple Tree Allee for children and a model train display for “kids” of all ages.  And what would a party be without hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream for dessert.  There will be no short supply of railroad caps, train whistles and prizes to add to the excitement as anticipation mounts for the Sunbeam’s homecoming.  

The object of everyone’s attention, the car, was acquired in 2007 after a nearly two year, cross-country search for just the right Pullman for Hildene.  This particular car was chosen because it came off the line in 1903 during Robert Todd Lincoln’s tenure as president of the Pullman Company and it had not been substantially altered through the years.  Robert first traveled to Vermont by rail as a young man with his mother and brother Tad during the Civil War.  Nearly four decades later he returned to Manchester as a successful railroad magnate aboard a Pullman belonging to the company he then presided over.  This time, the rails carried him back to purchase the land, to plan the design and construction of and to build his ancestral home.  Press from the period indicates Mr. Lincoln actually held planning meetings with the building and landscape architects working on Hildene in his Pullman car while parked at the station on Depot Street in Manchester.   

Robert’s personal history with Pullman began when he was counsel to the company. Upon the death of founder George Pullman in 1897 he served briefly as acting president and then as president until 1911.  At this point Mr. Lincoln became chairman of the board serving until 1924, two years before his death. Having the Sunbeam on property will give Hildene multiple opportunities for interpretation of this important chapter in Robert’s life and that of the country during the Gilded Age and Industrial Revolution.

In the words of Hildene Executive Director, Seth Bongartz, “The arrival of the Sunbeam is a critical component of our long-range plan.  Everything we do at Hildene is designed to accomplish the dual roles of enhancing economic viability and the education component of our mission.”   Hildene’s master plan is to have nine to ten major stops, of which the Pullman car would be one, across the Lincoln’s 412 acre estate.  On foot and by wagon ride, guests will experience all of Hildene, from Abe’s log cabin to Robert’s mansion on the hill, one example of the great American saga.    

As Hildene continues to “raise the bar” with each step toward its future, expectations are set ever higher for new endeavors and the Pullman Project is no exception. To hear Creative Director, Laine Akiyama describe the Pullman car is to understand just how high. She’s confident that, “When refurbishment of the car is complete, the Sunbeam will no doubt be the finest example of a wooden Pullman car on public display.”

To learn more about the Pullman Project Kick Off, call Carrie at 802.367.7960.

Date and Time : Sunday, July 20, at 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.