"No President has ever enjoyed himself as much as I have enjoyed myself....," Theodore Roosevelt once said, and everything about the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site reflects his enthusiasm for life.
 ©National Park Service The Sagamore Hill National Historic Site was used as Theodore Roosevelt's "Summer White House." |
Theodore Roosevelt spent summers at Sagamore Hill on Long Island -- the "Summer White House" -- with his wife and six children. While there, Roosevelt had time to run the country's affairs as well as hike, swim, climb, and lead funerals for family pets with his children. The pet cemetery is on the estate's grounds.
Roosevelt helped design the three-story, 23-room Victorian mansion, and it has been restored to the period of his presidency (1901 to 1909). The first two floors are furnished mainly with original artifacts, including Roosevelt's often large and exotic furniture, elephant tusks and stuffed buffalo heads, and the President's Rough Rider hat, sword, and binoculars.
All the furniture in the nursery -- and most of the toys -- belonged to the Roosevelt family. The teddy bear that sits in a small chair was a gift from the man whose father made the first teddy bear and asked to name it after Mr. Roosevelt.
The home also contains memorabilia of Roosevelt's varied careers and hobbies. In addition to being President, Roosevelt was a Spanish-American War hero, police commissioner, cowboy, assistant secretary of the Navy, New York governor, Vice President, hunter, conservationist, author, and, in 1905, a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Sagamore National Historic Site, established in 1962, also includes the Old Orchard Museum. Originally the home of General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., it now contains exhibits and a film relating to Theodore Roosevelt's life and career.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Information
Address: 20 Sagamore Hill Rd., Oyster Bay, NY
Telephone: 516/922-4788
Hours of Operation:
- Memorial Day to Labor Day: Daily, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. except holidays
- Labor Day to Memorial Day: Wednesday - Sunday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., except holidays
- Tours on the hour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Admission: $5 for adults; free for children 15 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.
