The “Those Were the Days” presenter at the Oregon Depot on Saturday, Oct. 25, will be Highland Community College Lifelong Learning Instructor Mark Peterson.

Peterson will speak about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the capture of his assassin, John Wilkes Booth. He’ll talk about 1865 U.S. culture, key moments in Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth’s lives, and the fateful night at Ford’s Theatre. Peterson will also trace Booth’s capture, Lincoln’s funeral procession, and the present-day sites of Ford’s Theatre and Lincoln’s grave.

The presentation will be from 10-11:30 a.m.

Peterson has been teaching history for Lifelong Learning at Highland Community College since 2017. A U.S. Navy veteran, he served six years aboard ships based in South Carolina and Greece. Peterson earned his bachelor and master’s degrees in history from Southern Illinois University Carbondale before beginning a decades-long teaching career in HVAC controls, history, and adult education.

His work has taken him to 41 states, four Canadian provinces, and countries including Australia, China, Denmark, Germany, and France. From 2004 to 2018, he taught Historical Methods for Adult Learning at Concordia University in Beloit, Wisconsin.

After retiring in 2009, Peterson continued teaching in northern Illinois schools and spent several summers as a campground host at Mt. Rainier National Park. Having traveled to all 50 states and 19 countries, Peterson brings global insight and enthusiasm for history to every class he teaches.