Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, LI, New York

Since it's President's Day, I've decided to share our visit to Theodore Roosevelt's home, Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, NY.  Susan and Rob have toured the home many times and decided to just make a trip up here to tour the grounds.  However, I will share with you some of the history of the Mr. Roosevelt's "summer White House" and some pictures from inside the house.

In the 1870's, Theodore Roosevelt and his family spent summer vacations in Oyster Bay.  He grew to love the area so much that when he finished college, he decided that the best place to settle with his wife and raise a family would be Long Island. Roosevelt purchased farmland in Cove Neck on a peninsula just east of Oyster Bay.  After hiring architects Lamb and Rich to build a sturdy modern house in the Queen Anne style, construction began in 1884.

 

 
In February, 1884,  Roosevelt's wife Alice died two days after giving birth to his daughter that he named for her. The house might never have been completed had not family members convinced Theodore to continue so that he would have a proper home to raise his infant daughter.

In 1886, Theodore was reacquainted with a childhood friend of his sister's, Edith Kermit Carow.  They married soon after and moved into Sagamore Hill in 1887. It was here that they raised their six children for a span that covered 30 years.

After Roosevelt's death in 1919,  eldest son Ted hoped to raise his family at Sagamore Hill, however, his mother, Edith, wanted to continue living there.  Ted was given a few acres nearby where he built Old Orchard, a nearby brick mansion.  Today it is a museum for Mr. Roosevelt and his family. The upstairs rooms are used as the park's administrative offices.  It is located in what once was Sagamore Hill's apple orchard and is close enough to walk there.  Trails around the house lead to the beach and around the woods and gardens.

Old Orchard Museum

 Edith died in September of 1948 at age eighty seven.  It wasn't until 1962 that Congress established Sagamore Hill as a National Historic site to preserve the house with the National Park Service.  In 1966, Sagamore Hill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.   

Here are some links:

I found a tour of the house on youtube.  It's a bit broken up but I've found all the parts to it.

this is part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmm5I-5vynw

part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf_r6VEtMBQ&feature=related

and part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1MIfKeJnyc

This is the official site for Sagamore Hill.  The site has some  historic old videos of the house and the family and there is a gallery of pictures from both houses.  Very interesting site and a must to visit. 

http://www.nps.gov/sahi/index.htm

and for Old Orchard Museum.  I borrowed the picture of the house from this site.


http://www.nps.gov/archive/sahi/oom.htm

Theodore Roosevelt Association site:

http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/modern/sagamorenewsday.htm

self guided tour of Sagamore Hill. Explains some of the rooms and what's in them


http://www.ehow.com/how_2217858_tour-theodore-roosevelts-sagamore-hill.html

Wikipedia article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagamore_Hill_%28house%29