Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most fascinating men to serve as President of the United States. More than just a politician, he was a soldier, historian, hunter, explorer and outdoorsman. As president, he set aside numerous lands as national parks, curbed the power of major corporations, and won a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to a Russian-Japanese war. Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, so the anniversary of his birthday tomorrow is an ideal time to learn more about him. There are three National Historic Sites dedicated to Roosevelt in New York, as well as sites of interest in the Dakotas.
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
Roosevelt was born in a brownstone in New York City. Although the home was torn down in 1916, it was rebuilt a few years later and was furnished with assistance from Roosevelt’s family. Today, the home in which he lived for 14 years is known as the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site. Guided tours are available, and part of the home has been turned into a museum dedicated to the life of the country’s 26th president.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
For more than three decades of his adult life, from 1885 to 1919, Roosevelt lived in the Sagamore Hill home, in Oyster Bay, Long Island. This was the “Summer White House” during his years as president. Visitors can now tour the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site and learn about the fascinating man that was Teddy Roosevelt. In addition to guided tours of the home, there is also a Roosevelt Museum on site, as well as a Sagamore Hill Nature Trail.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
Although Roosevelt had one of the most consequential presidencies in the nation’s history, he became president only after the assassination of William McKinley. After McKinley’s death, Roosevelt took the oath of office on September 14, 1901 in the Ansley Wilcox home in Buffalo, New York. That house is now the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site and visitors can tour the building and see exhibits about Roosevelt.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Roosevelt has been honored in one of the most lasting ways imaginable, as his bust is sculpted in granite at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. Roosevelt is one of four presidents whose heads are depicted in 60-foot high sculptures, along with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
A noted environmentalist, Roosevelt also has a national park named after him. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is located in badlands that enchanted him when he visited the West as a young man in the 1880s. A ranch cabin where Roosevelt lived is now open to visitors, and anyone can experience the wide open spaces and stark beauty that Roosevelt claimed were central to molding him into a future president.
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Photo credit: Public domain image via Wikimedia Commons.
Comments
TR was a great president. I'll have to put these locations on a future vacation plan.
He had such an influence on the conservations and National Parks, which might surprise him if he knew.
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