©National Park Service
The Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
National Historic Site is where our
twenty-sixth President grew up.
A frail child who suffered from asthma, Roosevelt learned to read at an early age, despite being unable to attend school regularly. He loved books on nature and history, and he dreamed of having an adventuresome life outdoors. He learned taxidermy, starting what he called the "Roosevelt Museum of Natural History" in the house.
Teedie's father built him a gymnasium on the back piazza of the house, and there he exercised his way to strength and health. He became a robust man who lived a very active life as a Rough Rider during the Spanish-American War, a cowboy in North Dakota, a big-game hunter on three continents, and finally the President of the United States.
Roosevelt's birthplace was demolished in 1916 to make way for a commercial building. After his death in 1919, a historical association purchased the site and built an exact replica of the house, furnishing it with original and period pieces. Included is Victorian horsehair furniture, as well as the special chair Roosevelt used as a child because he was allergic to horsehair.
Visitors can tour the rooms of the home, including the parlor, which Roosevelt once described as "a room of much splendor," and the library, a room to which he attributed a "gloomy respectability."
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site Information
Address: 28 E. 20th St., New York, NY
Telephone: 212/260-1616
Hours of Operation:
- Tuesday - Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Tours on the hour at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. through 4:00 p.m.
Admission: $3 for adults, free for children age 16 and under
Learn more about these other national historic sites:
To learn more about national national monuments, memorials, and historic sites, and other travel destinations in North America, visit:
- National Monuments: Learn more about America's national monuments.
- National Memorials: Discover national memorials in the U.S.
- National Historic Sites: Read about American national historic sites.
- New York City Guide: Find out where to stay, what to do, and where to eat when you visit New York City.
- New York State Guide: Learn about Mobil Travel Guide-rated hotels and restaurants in New York as well as other recreational activities.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Eric Peterson is a Denver-based freelance writer who has contributed to numerous guidebooks about the Western United States.
