After President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, his funeral was held at the White House on April 19, 1865. The funeral train left for Springfield, Illinois, on April 21 under military direction, and stops along the route allowed the public to pay homage. From Indianapolis, the train passed mourners lighted by bonfires and torches and arrived in Michigan City by 8:35 a.m. on May 1. Residents decorated the depot north of here with memorial arches adorned with roses, evergreens, flags, and images of Lincoln. The train stopped to switch engines and to allow dignitaries from Illinois and Indiana to board. Sixteen women entered the funeral car to place flowers on the casket. The train then left for Chicago on the Michigan Central Railroad, with mourners lining the track.