Episode 16 - Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Kurt and Larry talk with Sagamore Hill NHS park rangers Clare Connelly, Lindsay Davenport, and Bethany Cecere about Theodore Roosevelt's Long Island family home in Oyster Bay, NY. 

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Talk About Teddy podcast, our weekly conversations exploring the world of Theodore Roosevelt.
I'm your host, Kurt Skinner, and I'm joined as ever by my good pal and co host, Larry Marple.
Hey, Larry, could you tell our listeners about today's guests? Kurt, we are delighted to have three members of the staff from Sagamore Hill National Historic Site.

(00:22):
.999Connolly, Chief of Cultural Resources, Bethany Cesare, an interpretive ranger who works in collections, and Lindsay Davenport, the museum technician. 5 00:00:32,269.999 --> 00:00:33,869.999 So welcome to the Talk About Teddy podcast.
Oh, oh, thank you.
Sorry.
That's fine.

(00:42):
We're not good at this.
Oh, All right.
great.
All right.
Uh, well, for those of us, Ted heads, as we're known, I suppose, uh, working at Sagamore Hill might sound like a bit of a dream job going there every day to, uh, to work.
Uh, but I was wondering if each of you could briefly describe your duties there at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site.

(01:05):
Sure.
I am Bethany. 17 00:01:07,144.999 --> 00:01:09,354.999 I'm an interpretive Ranger.
So I give tours of Theodore's house.
.999I also work in the museum and visitor center answering questions and issuing passes.
My name is Lindsay.
I'm a museum technician there, which means I get to work behind the scenes.
Um, I always kid around.
I get to touch all this stuff, which is really fun.

(01:26):
Oh, Um, but I also, it's, oh, it's great. 25 00:01:30,184.999 --> 00:01:34,124.999 Um, and I help take care of the house and the collections and the archives.
Um, and then, you know, Yeah, and I also have helped out with interpretation before, and I also, um, helped run the social media accounts as well.
I'm Claire.
I'm the chief of cultural resources, so I work with Lindsay and all of our management team here to, uh, take care of all of our cultural resources, which include the historic buildings, the historic grounds, and the museum collections. 29 00:01:58,679.999 --> 00:01:59,229.999 Wonderful.

(02:00):
As I said, and I didn't mean to interrupt earlier, I am jealous.
It is a pretty good job.
Yeah.
.999I know Long Island's been a place for a long time of summer retreat for wealthy New York families, like the Roosevelt's.
Could you share the history of the Roosevelt's in relation to Long Island? Yeah, definitely.

(02:23):
Long Island has always kind of been a special place to the Roosevelt family, Oyster Bay in particular.
.999Cornelius Van Shack Roosevelt, who is, as you know, TR's grandfather, rented a house out here. 37 00:02:35,194.999 --> 00:02:37,285 This is, in fact where he died.
Um, and so there were a lot of factors that brought people out to Long Island and Oyster Bay in particular.
Um, so the railroad was one of the big ones.

(02:46):
In the 1850s, the Long Island Railroad had come out, um, to Syosset and it, It made it a lot easier.
You could get a, um, you could actually get a of like almost a shuttle type service from Syosset to Oyster Bay.
.999Eventually it moves farther into Locust Valley and then the Oyster Bay Station opens in 1889. 43 00:03:09,144.999 --> 00:03:14,145 Oyster Bay, um, the draw for this area especially was the water.

(03:14):
There was a lot of water activities.
Um, a really big sort of social club was the Swanaca Yacht Club.
There are a number of Roosevelts who are founding members of the Swanaca Yacht Club and eventually Theodore Roosevelt Sr.
joins as well.
So that's what kind of starts the family coming out here.

(03:36):
.999Um, in 1874, after having rented a few places for the summer in New Jersey in the Hudson Valley, I believe it was, um, the family comes out here for the first time.
.999They rent a home called Tranquility.
Which makes, I, it makes me laugh too, because I'm like, I'm sure it was nothing but tranquil when the family was there. 52 00:03:58,760.1 --> 00:04:04,130 Because the, again, the main draws here is first, it's, there's a lot of family, so there's cousins running around.

(04:04):
But also, the family was big into outdoor activities as a way to build up the children's bodies, especially Theodore Roosevelt.
And he ended up falling in love with this place because of how much he could do.
outside, um, in nature.
He started to sort of really hone his skills as a naturalist out here.

(04:25):
He would go on hikes.
.9995he would go hunting. 59 00:04:28,429.9995 --> 00:04:29,400 He would go rowing.
Rowing was one of his favorite activities.
Um, so eventually when it's time for him to choose an area to settle, he has all these fond memories and picks Oyster Bay and Sagamore Hill.
is that tranquility summer home still standing, No, unfortunately.

(04:49):
A lot of the big homes on the North Shore of Long Island would be bought up and subdivided, so I'm not sure if that's what happened.
just I to disrepair.
I'm not really sure, Eventually the neighborhood too shifts into being a residential area rather than a place where people would come in the summer.
And that was even when the Long Island railroad was moving out here.
.9995That was something that the people who stayed here for the summer were a little nervous about that. 68 00:05:12,886.9995 --> 00:05:16,667 If the easier it was to get here, the more people that would be here.

(05:16):
I believe, when they were staying at Tranquility, there were only eight houses in the area at the time.
.999Yeah, so eventually when people start moving into the suburbs, this, this area really starts to become more residential. 71 00:05:28,326.999 --> 00:05:30,956.999 So that's, it's probably along those lines, I guess.
.999So you mentioned, that Kovnec Oyster Bay here became a place of lots of cousins, uh, of Roosevelt.

(05:37):
.001So what's that story of, of Theodore Roosevelt, uh, acquiring the, the property that becomes Sagamore Hill? Uh, like what was on the Kovnec Peninsula before he takes that property? So Kovnek was, the whole peninsula was originally farmland. 74 00:05:53,462.001 --> 00:05:56,212.001 It was owned by one family, the Young's family. 75 00:05:56,572.001 --> 00:06:04,242.001 Um, and when TR is away at college, he, um, BAMI lets him know that the Young's family is selling off some land. 76 00:06:04,302.001 --> 00:06:05,382.001 So he buys it up. 77 00:06:06,128.001 --> 00:06:13,32.001 So, he bought, uh, how many acres was that original purchase of land? 155 acres. 78 00:06:13,818.001 --> 00:06:14,378.001 Okay. 79 00:06:14,952.001 --> 00:06:16,132.001 acres left. 80 00:06:17,292.001 --> 00:06:22,472.001 I know that TR, after his honeymoon with Edith, um, and they come back to Oyster Bay. 81 00:06:23,357.001 --> 00:06:25,597.001 is a little low on money cause he's not working. 82 00:06:25,787.001 --> 00:06:29,437.001 Um, he also lost a lot of money on his cattle ranch out west. 83 00:06:29,557.001 --> 00:06:30,388.001 yeah, Mm hmm. 84 00:06:30,587.001 --> 00:06:31,537.001 some of that money back. 85 00:06:31,537.001 --> 00:06:34,297.001 He starts selling off some acres to mostly family members. 86 00:06:34,427.001 --> 00:06:36,557.001 Uh, so this whole peninsula was pretty much Roosevelt's. 87 00:06:36,797.001 --> 00:06:37,387.001 wow. 88 00:06:37,418.001 --> 00:06:38,18.001 Yeah. 89 00:06:38,108.001 --> 00:06:38,348.0005 Yeah. 90 00:06:38,348.0005 --> 00:06:43,808.001 I, I think I'd read that the quote somewhere that, uh, it was turned into a small colony of Roosevelt. 91 00:06:43,818.001 --> 00:06:46,7.001 So I like, Pretty much. 92 00:06:46,7.101 --> 00:06:48,36.901 Yeah. 93 00:06:48,177.001 --> 00:06:50,227.001 I know you've got his sister Bambi there.

(06:50):
You've got James Roosevelt, Cousin Emlyn, all of them hanging around, so. 95 00:06:54,907.1 --> 00:06:55,927.001 He Yeah.
.001TR helped design the house that became Sagamore Hill. 97 00:07:02,997.001 --> 00:07:14,147.001 To what extent Did he do that? What was his vision for the home? And how was he involved? Well, uh, he was very young when he bought the land. 98 00:07:14,147.001 --> 00:07:15,267.001 He was 22. 99 00:07:15,307.001 --> 00:07:18,407.001 Um, and he didn't really know what he wanted. 100 00:07:18,407.101 --> 00:07:18,421.901 Right. 101 00:07:18,622.001 --> 00:07:24,622.001 He knew he wanted a large piazza facing west so he could watch the sun go down over Oyster Bay. 102 00:07:24,912.001 --> 00:07:28,632.001 Um, and he knew he wanted large bay windows in his office facing south.

(07:28):
That way he'd get the most sunlight. 104 00:07:30,712.001 --> 00:07:33,822 Uh, and also he could see when guests were arriving up the carriage road. 105 00:07:35,872.001 --> 00:07:37,82.001 So that's pretty much all he knew. 106 00:07:37,92.001 --> 00:07:43,372.001 He really left the rest of the design up to the architects, Lamb Rich, and BAMI had a, played a huge role in designing the house. 107 00:07:44,552.001 --> 00:07:47,192 And it cost about 17, 000 to build. 108 00:07:49,827.001 --> 00:07:51,57.001 Long Island is very different now. 109 00:07:51,77.001 --> 00:07:51,367.001 Yes. 110 00:07:52,377.001 --> 00:08:02,102.002 one little thing I like to add about the house is that TR really concerned himself more with The people that he brought in, like that was his main goal. 111 00:08:02,112.002 --> 00:08:08,152.002 He didn't so much, I don't want to say didn't care, but he wasn't as concerned with what the outside looked like. 112 00:08:08,152.002 --> 00:08:10,142.002 He kind of left a lot of that up to the architects. 113 00:08:10,142.002 --> 00:08:21,612.002 Like Bethany said, he was very concerned with having the inside be welcoming and especially, you know, With, you know, growing a family in this house and, um, having friends and family over. 114 00:08:21,612.002 --> 00:08:25,512.002 And that was his, his real main purpose of building a place like this. 115 00:08:25,542.002 --> 00:08:30,622.002 And I feel like when you're in the house, you can really feel that it feels very welcoming. 116 00:08:30,872.002 --> 00:08:36,332.002 You almost expect him to come walking in the door while you're, while you're cleaning in there or giving a tour. 117 00:08:36,332.102 --> 00:08:39,782.002 It's, it's a really, it's a really inviting space. 118 00:08:41,107.002 --> 00:08:50,136.902 The house was completed in 1885, but Theodore doesn't really move in until he comes back from his honeymoon with Edith in March of 1887. 119 00:08:51,292.902 --> 00:09:16,726.902 Uh, we were going to ask, uh, what, what was that local community there of Oyster Bay like during TR's time, you know, were, were, was the Roosevelt family involved in the local small community in, in, uh, in what capacity? Yeah, like we said, the population has definitely increased, but overall, the North Shore of Long Island, especially the Gold Coast, has really tried to hold on to their historic heritage. 120 00:09:17,341.902 --> 00:09:17,841.902 image. 121 00:09:18,101.902 --> 00:09:21,531.902 So it's actually fairly similar today to what it was then. 122 00:09:21,851.902 --> 00:09:30,631.902 Um, and the Park Service actually has several, um, waysides throughout Oyster Bay that kind of talk about how TR was involved in the town. 123 00:09:30,981.901 --> 00:09:42,621.902 Um, and so these include like the, um, the train station where he was often seen coming or going to Washington DC. 124 00:09:42,621.902 --> 00:09:46,81.901 That's how he got into, got to the White House a lot of times. 125 00:09:46,171.902 --> 00:09:50,781.902 Um, he was also, Often giving speeches at the bandstand. 126 00:09:50,791.902 --> 00:09:53,171.902 That is, um, it's not the original bandstand anymore. 127 00:09:53,191.902 --> 00:09:58,261.902 It was recreated by, um, Ethel, his daughter, um, to kind of honor his memory. 128 00:09:58,301.902 --> 00:10:02,701.901 But, uh, he was often giving speeches in the, in the center of town at the bandstand. 129 00:10:03,111.901 --> 00:10:10,776.902 Um, And he, a lot of his work as president was actually very heavily connected to the town. 130 00:10:10,846.902 --> 00:10:13,266.902 So, uh, he really didn't want a phone. 131 00:10:13,276.902 --> 00:10:22,716.902 He really hated the idea of getting a phone in the house, which meant that his staff had to go down to town, go to Snowder's grocery or drugstore, sorry. 132 00:10:23,26.902 --> 00:10:26,716.902 And, uh, answer phone calls or make phone calls and then. 133 00:10:26,941.902 --> 00:10:28,431.902 Run the message back up to the house. 134 00:10:28,491.902 --> 00:10:33,971.902 So it was a, it's like a three mile journey to take a phone call every time it happened. 135 00:10:34,861.901 --> 00:10:52,831.902 Eventually he gave in and got a phone call and gave his, or got a phone for the house and gave his staff a little break, but his staff also had their, um, headquarters in town, uh, at, uh, what's called the Moore building on, uh, East Main Street. 136 00:10:53,111.902 --> 00:10:55,931.902 Um, now it's a restaurant, a popular restaurant in the area. 137 00:10:55,981.902 --> 00:10:59,191.902 So that building, all these buildings are still there. 138 00:10:59,231.901 --> 00:11:01,941.902 Um, there's still very prominent features in town. 139 00:11:02,761.902 --> 00:11:08,501.902 and the Roosevelt's were very, uh, present at Christ Church, which is still there. 140 00:11:08,801.902 --> 00:11:14,511.902 Um, that's where his memorial was and he would usually make the family walk home from church. 141 00:11:15,691.902 --> 00:11:18,731.901 Um, they might take the sled there in the winter, but he'd make them walk home with their snowshoes. 142 00:11:19,661.901 --> 00:11:21,862.902 Uh, Of course. 143 00:11:22,51.902 --> 00:11:22,701.901 vigorous life. 144 00:11:23,191.901 --> 00:11:25,551.901 So he was definitely a fixture in town. 145 00:11:25,621.902 --> 00:11:26,106.802 And yeah. 146 00:11:26,706.902 --> 00:11:29,586.902 Like we said, the Roosevelt's had their own little colony here. 147 00:11:29,646.902 --> 00:11:31,986.902 So all the Roosevelt's were around. 148 00:11:31,986.902 --> 00:11:34,876.902 In fact, when they would send out laundry, they'd have to. 149 00:11:35,136.902 --> 00:11:44,86.901 Edith had to start putting, um, R of S, the Roosevelt's of Sycamore Hill on her laundry because she kept getting her other relatives laundry back from the laundry service. 150 00:11:45,52.902 --> 00:11:46,12.901 That's a good story. 151 00:11:46,236.902 --> 00:11:48,226.902 very, very prominent in the community. 152 00:11:49,431.902 --> 00:11:56,396.901 I know you mentioned Christ Episcopal Church, and we visited there in December of 2019, and Wow. 153 00:11:56,711.901 --> 00:12:05,571.901 pews had been replaced except for one, which is Theodore Roosevelt's, and being the TR buff that I am, I had to sit in that spot. 154 00:12:05,571.902 --> 00:12:10,131.802 But, yes. 155 00:12:10,996.9015 --> 00:12:14,871.902 the Roosevelt's and, uh, their legacy here, Oh, yes. 156 00:12:15,66.902 --> 00:12:16,756.802 especially TR's. 157 00:12:17,451.902 --> 00:12:27,126.902 I mentioned earlier I was jealous, because just to be around all of the The things that TR saw and were in his presence when he was there. 158 00:12:27,926.902 --> 00:12:31,56.902 You have an amazing collection of artifacts at Sagamore Hill. 159 00:12:31,57.002 --> 00:12:37,176.9015 I mean, original furniture, the taxidermy mounts from many of TR's hunts, and so much more. 160 00:12:37,176.9015 --> 00:12:43,456.902 Could you tell us some of your favorite and most interesting pieces? Yeah, I'll go first. 161 00:12:43,866.902 --> 00:12:46,456.901 I can't pick one, so I am going to say two. 162 00:12:47,126.902 --> 00:12:51,636.902 Uh, on the third floor, there's a hand drawn ship of all the ships in the U. 163 00:12:51,636.902 --> 00:12:51,766.902 S. 164 00:12:51,796.902 --> 00:13:00,26.901 Navy, uh, that was drawn by Kaiser Wilhelm II, uh, so that's pretty cool, um, and then we also have his death mask. 165 00:13:00,636.902 --> 00:13:07,96.902 Um, so someone came and took the mold of his face right after he died and it's so detailed You can see the pores in his skin. 166 00:13:07,136.902 --> 00:13:15,216.9 So it's just really cool to look at Yeah, I also I mean I I have a favorite room Like that's that's kind of how deep it goes. 167 00:13:15,246.9 --> 00:13:24,391.901 Like we all kind of a favorite room So I love the library and I kind of love everything in it because the library the heart of the home. 168 00:13:24,401.901 --> 00:13:26,701.901 And it was, it is especially true with them. 169 00:13:26,701.901 --> 00:13:28,41.901 They were avid readers. 170 00:13:28,421.901 --> 00:13:38,681.9005 Um, and so the objects that are in the library and because this house was pretty well photographed as well, we know that these are what was in the library. 171 00:13:38,681.9005 --> 00:13:42,131.901 They were all objects that were personally important to the family. 172 00:13:42,526.901 --> 00:13:49,676.901 And kind of putting that against the North Room is an interesting one, because the North Room is very much like a trophy room. 173 00:13:49,736.901 --> 00:13:52,66.901 So that's like nationally important objects. 174 00:13:52,76.9 --> 00:13:52,446.9 Yeah. 175 00:13:52,756.901 --> 00:14:05,181.901 Um, so like one of my favorite objects in the library is this, It's a drinking flask from Norway that was given to him by the king when he was on his European tour. 176 00:14:05,571.901 --> 00:14:14,541.902 And there's a fun story with that in that he met the king's six year old son and got on the floor and immediately started playing with him and then did it again. 177 00:14:15,741.901 --> 00:14:24,371.9 at a funeral later on, um, so it's very well documented not to get too far into it but it is a fun story. 178 00:14:24,811.9 --> 00:14:36,76.801 Um, and it just it kind of I love that it shows his personality because all his kids were older and he just he immediately got down and played with this child and it was given to him because the king said he'd never met the king before. 179 00:14:36,386.901 --> 00:14:40,956.901 Somebody who wasn't from the area that knew so much about the mythology. 180 00:14:40,956.901 --> 00:14:47,406.9 So there's, there's a lot of mythological figures on it and it's, it's a really cool piece.

(14:47):
.801Yeah. 182 00:14:49,461.901 --> 00:14:50,301.901 just sounds like T. 183 00:14:50,301.901 --> 00:14:50,601.901 R. 184 00:14:50,711.901 --> 00:14:52,451.901 crawling around on the floor playing with children. 185 00:14:52,461.901 --> 00:14:54,131.901 That is perfect. 186 00:14:56,16.9 --> 00:15:04,606.899 For me, what I love about the house is that, unlike a lot of other historic house museums, have so much of the original objects that are there. 187 00:15:04,606.899 --> 00:15:11,691.899 So it's really hard for me to pick one because everything is not, it's not like You know, this one iconic thing over here. 188 00:15:11,701.899 --> 00:15:14,591.899 It's like we have their whole lives are here. 189 00:15:14,631.899 --> 00:15:20,621.899 So personally, I love all the little details that show like people really lived here. 190 00:15:20,621.899 --> 00:15:25,651.899 Like nail files and the hair brushes and combs. 191 00:15:25,731.899 --> 00:15:30,261.899 And we have lots of toiletry sets for all the different family members. 192 00:15:31,141.899 --> 00:15:35,541.899 Toiletry sets was weirdly a common gift to give people. 193 00:15:35,961.899 --> 00:15:36,791.899 Fancy toiletry sets. 194 00:15:37,11.899 --> 00:15:42,621.899 So we have a lot and I just love seeing the, the really lived in aspect of the house. 195 00:15:44,331.899 --> 00:15:50,11.898 I know I had asked the one question in an email back and forth about spectacles, given how many pairs T. 196 00:15:50,11.899 --> 00:15:50,191.899 R. 197 00:15:50,251.899 --> 00:15:50,711.899 owned. 198 00:15:50,831.899 --> 00:15:56,741.898 I wondered if, you know, when we had emailed back and forth, I thought, oh, there has to be a big collection of these. 199 00:15:56,751.899 --> 00:16:02,541.899 But, it sounds like something the family went, eh, and just got rid of. 200 00:16:02,551.899 --> 00:16:05,571.898 So, They were also pretty fragile. 201 00:16:06,11.899 --> 00:16:07,889.919 So chances are a lot of them just didn't survive. 202 00:16:07,889.919 --> 00:16:17,671.898 I was just going to say that, knowing what I know about this family and about TR himself, I imagine a lot of the parents of the Spectacles just didn't survive that's the trip. 203 00:16:18,862.899 --> 00:16:29,981.899 Is there any estimate on, uh, the number of total artifacts in your inventory that you got to keep track of? Officially we have 90, 000, but, Wow. 204 00:16:30,291.899 --> 00:16:32,51.899 we probably have more. 205 00:16:32,416.899 --> 00:16:35,952.899 Close to 100, 000 objects, Goodness. 206 00:16:36,866.899 --> 00:16:38,626.899 depending on which database you look at. 207 00:16:38,626.899 --> 00:16:43,606.899 So it's been, we're currently in the process of doing 100 percent inventory of those 100, 000 objects. 208 00:16:43,811.899 --> 00:16:44,521.899 Wow. 209 00:16:45,92.899 --> 00:16:45,632.899 Wow. 210 00:16:45,882.899 --> 00:16:48,441.899 That's job security, isn't it? That's Yes. 211 00:16:50,682.899 --> 00:16:51,82.899 Wow. 212 00:16:52,692.899 --> 00:17:03,342.898 Uh, well, uh, given TRS, you know, early life in public service, he, uh, uh, about the longest he ever held a job was in DC. 213 00:17:03,352.899 --> 00:17:06,602.899 There's a civil service commissioner for upwards of six years. 214 00:17:06,642.899 --> 00:17:17,177.899 But, uh, you know, so he's, he's working in all these other places, uh, from the late, 1890s, uh, clear into, uh, the vice presidency. 215 00:17:17,177.899 --> 00:17:22,217.899 So hopping around, you know, DC and the New York city police commissioner for a couple of years. 216 00:17:22,237.898 --> 00:17:25,977.899 And, uh, and then back to DC for assistant secretary of the Navy. 217 00:17:25,977.899 --> 00:17:31,57.899 And then, you know, a little stint in Cuba and then, uh, back, back as governor. 218 00:17:31,97.898 --> 00:17:33,287.899 So, you know, up, up in, uh, Albany. 219 00:17:33,327.899 --> 00:17:56,506.899 So, um, I know that, you know, reading, uh, so many accounts of and longing to get back to Sagamore Hill, but could you give us a little bit of glimpse into what was life there at, at Sagamore Hill during those, those early years before the presidency? Yeah, it was very active here. 220 00:17:57,661.899 --> 00:17:59,291.899 TR was like a big kid. 221 00:17:59,311.899 --> 00:18:01,631.899 He was like Edith's seventh child. 222 00:18:02,11.899 --> 00:18:05,1.899 Um, and they were only doing fun activities. 223 00:18:05,41.899 --> 00:18:21,826.899 They like to play this game called point to point Or TR would point at something in the distance and the kids would have to walk straight to it No matter what obstacle was in their way, so they couldn't is, uh, you could go under, over, or through, but never around. 224 00:18:22,206.899 --> 00:18:26,556.899 Um, so they would have to climb trees, wade through water, uh, whatever they had to do to get there. 225 00:18:26,576.899 --> 00:18:31,276.899 They had to climb over a barn once, didn't they? They couldn't get straight through, they had to go up. 226 00:18:31,536.898 --> 00:18:31,716.898 Yep. 227 00:18:32,546.899 --> 00:18:36,16.899 So, uh, they would go swimming over at Cooper's Bluff. 228 00:18:36,226.899 --> 00:18:39,726.899 They would go for long rows in Cold Spring Harbor, uh, go hiking. 229 00:18:39,726.899 --> 00:18:41,416.898 They would have long picnics on the beach. 230 00:18:41,776.899 --> 00:18:44,846.899 Uh, so there was always, they were always doing something, and it always involved the children. 231 00:18:44,856.899 --> 00:18:46,506.899 Horseback riding, hunting. 232 00:18:47,866.898 --> 00:18:49,546.899 Even on rainy days, they had pillow fights. 233 00:18:49,816.899 --> 00:18:50,16.899 Yeah. 234 00:18:51,506.898 --> 00:18:51,846.898 Tennis. 235 00:18:52,126.899 --> 00:18:53,496.899 They always were playing tennis. 236 00:18:54,616.899 --> 00:19:12,481.8985 And one of my favorite stories is like, illustrates this pretty well is the we have a windmill on site that would pump water into the house and one day Uh tr noticed it was stuck and he goes like he's gonna fix it himself He climbs his way up there and he fixes it, but a little bit too. 237 00:19:12,481.8985 --> 00:19:25,301.899 Well, it swings around and hits him in the head So he's bleeding now, and he's going into the house to get Edith's help, and Edith is quoted as saying, Oh, Theodore, I do wish you would do your bleeding outside. 238 00:19:25,331.898 --> 00:19:26,641.898 You are ruining my carpets. 239 00:19:28,461.898 --> 00:19:31,161.8985 And that, I mean, he had an axe for every day of the week. 240 00:19:31,161.8985 --> 00:19:35,321.898 He would go out, if he was getting antsy, she would send him out to cut down trees. 241 00:19:35,321.998 --> 00:19:40,961.899 To help his staff chores the grounds. 242 00:19:41,766.899 --> 00:19:46,386.899 I think, uh, he would get in trouble because the telephone company would put the telephone wires on trees. 243 00:19:47,111.899 --> 00:19:52,941.899 he'd go out and cut the trees down that had the telephone wires on them, so he'd be getting in trouble with the telephone companies a lot. 244 00:19:54,1.899 --> 00:19:59,641.798 And with Edith as the chief forester of Everything, yes. 245 00:20:00,641.899 --> 00:20:06,801.898 she was a much better manager of money and things than TR was. 246 00:20:06,981.899 --> 00:20:14,521.898 What was her role in managing the household and the finances? I mean, that's, you hit the nail on the head. 247 00:20:14,521.899 --> 00:20:17,71.899 She managed the household and the finances. 248 00:20:17,101.899 --> 00:20:19,321.9 he was notoriously terrible with money. 249 00:20:19,711.899 --> 00:20:27,151.899 she, she ran that house from the drawing room, from her desk in the drawing room, which is there today. 250 00:20:27,201.899 --> 00:20:29,431.9 Um, and she was doing the shopping. 251 00:20:29,431.9 --> 00:20:31,101.9 She would help plan the menus. 252 00:20:31,171.9 --> 00:20:32,901.899 She was working with house staff. 253 00:20:33,281.9 --> 00:20:37,981.9 Um, so she really was, she was the beating heart of that home for sure. 254 00:20:38,321.9 --> 00:20:40,1.9 Um, and we still, a cool thing. 255 00:20:40,501.9 --> 00:20:49,391.9 Um, we have in the archives is we have a lot of her financial ledgers and her record keeping books and I always say when you can decipher them. 256 00:20:49,391.9 --> 00:20:50,431.9 They're very cool. 257 00:20:51,231.9 --> 00:20:56,961.9 It takes minute because it's a very much like, well, I know what I mean. 258 00:20:57,336.9 --> 00:21:04,306.9 And she just takes, she just like notates something and it takes me a second to like, oh wait, that goes with something on the next page. 259 00:21:04,746.9 --> 00:21:07,716.898 but once you can kind of figure it out, it is really cool to see. 260 00:21:07,716.898 --> 00:21:32,921.9 And she, she did well at managing the house and it was really well run and it did give him the ability to You know, do what he had to do, run the country, um, do his speaking engagements, kind of be that, that Theodore Roosevelt that we know of today and that, that image we have in our head, I don't think could have happened without Edith and I feel like I can say that I feel like he would agree. 261 00:21:33,211.9 --> 00:21:34,481.9 Oh yeah, definitely. 262 00:21:34,481.9 --> 00:21:42,411.899 so part of that work, uh, that Edith had to do, as you said, was managing a, uh, a fairly sizable staff. 263 00:21:42,471.899 --> 00:21:56,205.9 Uh, I was wondering to, to what extent, uh, is the household staff interpreted there at Sagamore Hill? So, I always talk about the servants when I'm giving tours, um, and it's usually when I'm up on the third floor because that's where they lived. 264 00:21:56,435.9 --> 00:22:04,555.9 Um, they usually had five to seven single female servants that would live and work inside the house, um, mostly Irish immigrants. 265 00:22:05,505.899 --> 00:22:07,645.899 and they were pretty good to their servants. 266 00:22:07,655.9 --> 00:22:10,315.899 If you've ever been there and seen their rooms, they had really nice rooms. 267 00:22:10,755.9 --> 00:22:13,815.9 Um, their cook, Annie O'Rourke, was with them for 30 years. 268 00:22:13,815.9 --> 00:22:15,565.9 She even followed them over to the White House. 269 00:22:15,995.9 --> 00:22:19,815.899 Um, and of course, James Amos was a really important member of the household. 270 00:22:20,175.899 --> 00:22:25,635.9 Um, he then comes back, he gets his own job at a detective agency, but comes back to help take care of T. 271 00:22:25,635.9 --> 00:22:25,805.9 R. 272 00:22:25,805.9 --> 00:22:28,45.899 when he's coming close to the end. 273 00:22:28,45.999 --> 00:22:40,590.9 Um, and, um, So, we definitely talk about them, um, we don't know too much about them, a few weeks ago, tried to do a whole social media post about Annie O'Rourke and really couldn't find too much information on her, unfortunately. 274 00:22:40,900.9 --> 00:22:46,570.9 Um, but we, we try to mention them, um, when we're back by the kitchen too, because they were doing all the cooking. 275 00:22:46,930.9 --> 00:22:50,270.9 Um, so we definitely try and interpret them as best as we can with what we know. 276 00:22:51,70.9 --> 00:22:53,690.9 I know Edith was proud that she never had to learn how to cook. 277 00:22:54,700.9 --> 00:22:54,960.9 Yeah. 278 00:22:56,380.9 --> 00:22:58,970.9 He would often say that he was better in the kitchen than she was. 279 00:22:59,260.9 --> 00:22:59,860.9 Oh, yeah.

(22:59):
In Virginia, he would have to do, he would try chickens up.
Yeah.
Fried chicken and baked beans. 283 00:23:04,21.1 --> 00:23:05,191.0333333 That was his. 284 00:23:05,191.0333333 --> 00:23:07,530.9 And apparently he loved it, so. 285 00:23:09,321.999 --> 00:23:11,942 and there was a, a, a groundskeeper as well.
They had his own residence.
Is that correct? He's often referred to as Gardner Davis, unfortunately.
.999Um, his first name, I know it, and I just can't think of it off the top of my head.

(23:22):
.999Um, but we have what we call the Gardner Shed.
So he only lived there, um, in the warmer times.
.999But he did live there with his sister, um, in the shed that it's, it's a nice shed size shed and there was a stove in there and a loft for their bedroom. 292 00:23:38,85.999 --> 00:23:51,595.999 Um, I would love it if we could do more interpretation, but, uh, Unfortunately, we don't have a whole lot of information and we're constantly constantly trying to get more and more information about the staff so that we can talk about them more. 293 00:23:52,51.999 --> 00:23:52,451.999 Mm hmm. 294 00:23:54,370.998 --> 00:23:54,930.999 When T. 295 00:23:54,930.999 --> 00:23:55,60.999 R. 296 00:23:55,60.999 --> 00:24:00,881 became president, did the residence change? I know you mentioned the addition of a telephone, which he was reluctant about. 297 00:24:01,310.998 --> 00:24:09,435.998 But how else did it change when it became the summer White House? Um, well, a big change was that the house expanded. 298 00:24:09,885.999 --> 00:24:13,195.999 Um, I mentioned in the library, it's, that was the family space. 299 00:24:13,235.999 --> 00:24:19,635.999 When it becomes the summer White House, the family is being pushed out of the library and that's really not gonna fly with anybody. 300 00:24:19,875.999 --> 00:24:22,825.999 Nobody's happy about it, TR included. 301 00:24:23,995.999 --> 00:24:35,495.999 So they end up expanding on the house and putting in a new wing, the north room, um, and that becomes kind of his grand hosting space and meeting space. 302 00:24:35,845.999 --> 00:24:36,855.999 It's another office. 303 00:24:37,115.999 --> 00:24:39,525.999 There's a, there's a small desk there that he can work with. 304 00:24:40,455.999 --> 00:24:44,535.999 um, and a really cool like book alcove where the desk is. 305 00:24:45,185.999 --> 00:24:51,575.999 Um, but the, the room really evolves into kind of a, it was called the trophy room. 306 00:24:51,595.998 --> 00:24:54,165.999 So there's a lot of very cool objects in it. 307 00:24:54,165.999 --> 00:24:59,495.999 It becomes every, most people's favorite room when they visit, um, because it's the most memorable. 308 00:24:59,825.999 --> 00:25:17,350.999 But the purpose of it was to keep sort of part of the house For the family and part of the house this official space that summer White House, another big change is there's secret service protection 24 seven. 309 00:25:17,380.999 --> 00:25:20,710.999 So there's some really cool photographs of secret servicemen. 310 00:25:21,410.999 --> 00:25:23,770.999 You can kind of pick them out, post it around the house. 311 00:25:24,460.999 --> 00:25:29,610.999 Um, People were also allowed to, sort of, he could make speeches from the house. 312 00:25:29,610.999 --> 00:25:32,420.999 People were allowed to walk up and just see him make a speech. 313 00:25:32,420.999 --> 00:25:36,660.998 And there's actually, the porch has this piece of it that has no railing. 314 00:25:36,720.998 --> 00:25:38,190.999 And people ask us all the time. 315 00:25:38,510.999 --> 00:25:40,470.999 Why does this have no railing? That's dangerous. 316 00:25:40,470.999 --> 00:25:43,860.999 Why didn't you replace it? And we get to tell them, no, that was on purpose. 317 00:25:43,950.999 --> 00:25:47,550.998 He put in a pulpit himself, basically. 318 00:25:48,580.999 --> 00:25:59,590.999 Um, and so did, they moved back and forth between DC and Sagamore Hill, but the house does evolve as a result of it being a summer White House. 319 00:26:00,90.999 --> 00:26:03,550.999 And yeah, the thing about the phone again, this, we think of him. 320 00:26:03,870.999 --> 00:26:08,940.999 As a president of firsts a lot, um, that's kind of one of the images we get of him. 321 00:26:08,970.999 --> 00:26:11,550.999 And he was a little resistant to technology. 322 00:26:11,550.999 --> 00:26:14,940.999 I have to say, even though he did improve on the house and expand on it. 323 00:26:15,280.999 --> 00:26:19,800.999 Um, he was slightly resistant to personal change in technology. 324 00:26:20,130.999 --> 00:26:22,530.999 And so he wanted the phone out of there. 325 00:26:22,530.999 --> 00:26:26,210.999 By the time he left office, the kids talked him out of it. 326 00:26:26,210.999 --> 00:26:28,940.999 They started to like having the phone in their house. 327 00:26:28,970.999 --> 00:26:31,600.999 Um, the house wasn't until 1918. 328 00:26:32,985.999 --> 00:26:39,325.999 And so, you know, there, there were a lot of changes to the house, but he also tried to keep it. 329 00:26:40,240.999 --> 00:26:45,850.999 as close to what it had been when his family, um, first lived there as possible. 330 00:26:47,500.999 --> 00:26:48,910.999 It was a retreat for him, really. 331 00:26:49,285.999 --> 00:26:49,685.999 Yeah. 332 00:26:50,556.999 --> 00:26:58,656.999 Yeah, I seem, seem to really idealize that, that simple country life and, and kind of preached that to the nation as, as the ideal. 333 00:26:58,726.999 --> 00:27:04,190.999 Um, so that's interesting that in 1918, before they got electricity, that's Yeah. 334 00:27:05,20.999 --> 00:27:07,130.9985 And it wasn't that it wasn't available in the area. 335 00:27:07,130.9985 --> 00:27:08,640.999 It was just, yeah. 336 00:27:08,640.999 --> 00:27:12,0.999 It's funny because he didn't think that they needed electricity. 337 00:27:12,40.998 --> 00:27:17,30.999 Um, of course, he wasn't the one that had to light the gas lights, cut the wicks, clean the glass. 338 00:27:17,60.999 --> 00:27:19,190.999 He didn't really realize how much work was going into it. 339 00:27:19,670.999 --> 00:27:23,880.999 Um, but he just thought it was just a luxury that they didn't need. 340 00:27:23,950.999 --> 00:27:24,140.999 Yeah. 341 00:27:24,285.999 --> 00:27:42,981.0615 Well, there's just there's one kind of fun story about the secret service in that They used to have um, they would have a shooting range out on the grounds and they would practice and there are stories the children hiding in, in the area while they were practicing. 342 00:27:42,991.0605 --> 00:27:56,636.0615 And so I just can't imagine these, these poor men the heart attack when like one of the children pops out of the bush and is like, Surprise! I'm here! That Wow, too. 343 00:27:57,596.0615 --> 00:28:01,336.0615 Yeah, so the White House gang does also operate at Sagamore Hill. 344 00:28:01,456.0615 --> 00:28:01,896.0615 yeah. 345 00:28:02,566.0615 --> 00:28:03,196.0615 clear here. 346 00:28:03,932.0615 --> 00:28:06,92.0615 they got hazardous duty pay, I hope, yeah. 347 00:28:06,247.1615 --> 00:28:08,676.0615 Yeah, Okay. 348 00:28:08,676.0625 --> 00:28:18,210.0625 So what then, um, becomes of the house after TR's untimely death in January of 1919? So after T. 349 00:28:18,210.0625 --> 00:28:18,370.0625 R. 350 00:28:18,370.0625 --> 00:28:20,850.0625 passed away, Edith continued living in the house. 351 00:28:20,980.0615 --> 00:28:21,480.062 Uh, T. 352 00:28:21,480.062 --> 00:28:21,600.0615 R. 353 00:28:21,610.0625 --> 00:28:22,60.0625 Jr. 354 00:28:22,60.0625 --> 00:28:26,124.9625 actually thought that he was going to inherit the house, but, uh, like we said, didn't. 355 00:28:26,505.0625 --> 00:28:27,465.0625 It was more Edith's house. 356 00:28:27,475.0625 --> 00:28:28,755.0625 She's the one who managed it. 357 00:28:28,795.0625 --> 00:28:29,865.0625 So she was not leaving. 358 00:28:30,365.0625 --> 00:28:35,355.0625 Um, and so she ended up taking over the house and living there, um, on her own. 359 00:28:35,445.0625 --> 00:28:41,955.0625 Um, the family would always come to visit, uh, even down to her great grandkids, remember, who are still living. 360 00:28:41,955.0625 --> 00:28:43,165.0625 They remember visiting her. 361 00:28:43,620.0625 --> 00:28:44,100.0625 Um, T. 362 00:28:44,100.0625 --> 00:28:44,190.0625 R. 363 00:28:44,190.0625 --> 00:28:52,10.0615 Junior ended up, uh, purchasing four acres of land from her and building his own estate, um, Old Orchard, which is the building we're standing in ne we're sitting in now. 364 00:28:53,180.0615 --> 00:29:09,195.0625 and then Edith passed away in 1948, and after she passed away, um, an organization called, um, The Theodore Roosevelt Association, which at the time was the Roosevelt Memorial Association, took over the property and ran it as a museum. 365 00:29:09,275.0625 --> 00:29:16,755.0625 So they made a few alterations to the house to make it more accessible and easier for visitors to walk through as a museum. 366 00:29:16,825.0615 --> 00:29:20,335.0625 And then they eventually donated it to the National Park Service in 1963. 367 00:29:22,15.0625 --> 00:29:24,705.0625 So you mentioned some of the renovations they did. 368 00:29:25,75.0625 --> 00:29:28,485.0625 I know the house recently underwent extensive renovations. 369 00:29:28,565.0625 --> 00:29:32,605.0625 Um, can you tell us about The restoration and the ongoing maintenance. 370 00:29:33,940.0625 --> 00:29:42,570.0625 So the restoration did a lot of work to, um, sort of update some features of the house that were starting to fall into disrepair. 371 00:29:42,990.0625 --> 00:29:46,510.0615 Um, there was work done kind of all over the place. 372 00:29:46,540.0625 --> 00:29:47,680.0615 A lot of plaster work. 373 00:29:47,770.0615 --> 00:29:51,660.0615 But the biggest thing was that it installed, an HVAC system. 374 00:29:51,910.0615 --> 00:30:00,910.0625 It doesn't really provide humidity control, but it does allow us to control what air is coming in and out of the building, um, to help protect the, um, objects a bit better. 375 00:30:01,805.0615 --> 00:30:05,675.0615 Um, in terms of upkeep though, that is a daily struggle. 376 00:30:05,705.0615 --> 00:30:08,35.0615 It is a much older house. 377 00:30:08,205.0615 --> 00:30:12,495.0615 Um, the Roosevelts were not, not gentle folk. 378 00:30:12,775.0615 --> 00:30:15,325.0615 They ragged throughout that house. 379 00:30:15,955.0605 --> 00:30:19,885.0605 Um, so there's a lot of constant work happening every day. 380 00:30:19,885.0615 --> 00:30:21,895.0615 That's a big part of Lindsay's job. 381 00:30:22,265.0615 --> 00:30:24,855.0615 Um, there's cleaning that happens every day. 382 00:30:24,855.0615 --> 00:30:29,825.0615 We have a lot of, um, um, bug work that we have to do. 383 00:30:29,835.0615 --> 00:30:34,505.0615 We have a Japanese beetle issue here, so we're constantly catching them. 384 00:30:34,505.0615 --> 00:30:38,435.0615 Thankfully they don't do a lot of damage to the objects, but they're just kind of everywhere. 385 00:30:38,490.0615 --> 00:30:43,85.0615 yeah, Um, so there's, there's just a lot of work that goes into it. 386 00:30:43,125.0605 --> 00:30:56,120.0615 We have a nice little army of volunteers who also help us, uh, to take care of the house and just constantly keep it, from, um, degrading the way it would be if we weren't paying attention to it. 387 00:30:56,230.0615 --> 00:30:56,510.0615 yeah. 388 00:30:56,550.0615 --> 00:30:58,530.0615 Uh, if we just left it to its own devices. 389 00:30:58,850.0615 --> 00:30:59,180.0615 Yeah. 390 00:30:59,180.0615 --> 00:31:06,870.0615 And another, just kind of a challenge in general with historic houses is the different materials that are, are kept there. 391 00:31:06,880.0615 --> 00:31:13,310.0615 And we have a lot of different materials that are original to the family and to the time period. 392 00:31:13,340.0615 --> 00:31:17,660.0615 So we're kind of, we're competing with time, we're competing with the elements. 393 00:31:18,830.0605 --> 00:31:21,735.0615 we're, Dealing with all of that. 394 00:31:21,775.0615 --> 00:31:41,995.0605 Um, and that's just one of the fun challenges of the job, but it is, it is also something we kind of contend with every day in that there are certain conditions that make certain materials happy, we have a ton of different types of materials, which need to be kept at least relatively happy. 395 00:31:42,45.0605 --> 00:31:42,285.0605 So. 396 00:31:43,70.0615 --> 00:32:01,224.9615 We're constantly always discussing and evolving how that looks and what measures we have to take, you know, manually by, say, putting in air conditioners or humidifiers or dehumidifiers or removing them, um, because something's going on a lot of monitoring a lot of just checking on things. 397 00:32:03,35.0615 --> 00:32:08,279.0415 they, they joke, they let me free in the house and I find problems and they're just like, stop looking at that. 398 00:32:08,279.0415 --> 00:32:09,155.0615 Don't look at it. 399 00:32:09,255.0615 --> 00:32:10,195.0615 Don't look at the wall. 400 00:32:10,355.0615 --> 00:32:10,875.0605 It's fine. 401 00:32:12,315.0605 --> 00:32:18,375.0615 Uh, but, but it is, it's, it's something that we all kind of, we're joking about it, but we all try to keep on top of. 402 00:32:19,85.0615 --> 00:32:24,655.0615 And we have a great team here of people who are very passionate about history and about preserving heritage. 403 00:32:24,695.0615 --> 00:32:37,755.0605 So our maintenance crew is great at responding anytime we have small issues that they can easily take care of, like nails coming out of the ground that are snagging on people's feet get fixed really quickly. 404 00:32:37,805.0615 --> 00:32:43,535.0615 And, um, the interpretive staff is constantly alerting us to, different things that we should probably be aware of. 405 00:32:43,875.0615 --> 00:32:45,85.0615 And, um, then we have. 406 00:32:46,140.0615 --> 00:32:52,560.0615 some historic architects who are kind of on the call that to advise us whenever we have problems that we can't fix in house. 407 00:32:52,790.0615 --> 00:32:56,560.0615 So yeah, it's a, it, it takes a village to take care of one house. 408 00:32:56,980.0605 --> 00:32:57,70.0605 Yeah. 409 00:32:57,420.0615 --> 00:32:57,640.0615 Yeah. 410 00:32:57,640.0615 --> 00:33:00,180.0615 And when we find things that gets taken care of really quickly. 411 00:33:00,490.0615 --> 00:33:01,30.0615 good. 412 00:33:02,41.0615 --> 00:33:02,901.0615 Yeah, that's great. 413 00:33:03,281.0615 --> 00:33:04,691.0615 That, I mean, I love that. 414 00:33:04,691.0615 --> 00:33:06,371.0615 You said it takes, it takes a village. 415 00:33:07,181.0615 --> 00:33:15,910.0615 What is the size of the, uh, of the permanent staff there at Sagamore Hill? fluctuates depending on the season. 416 00:33:15,910.0615 --> 00:33:19,380.0615 Right now we're in a very low. 417 00:33:20,80.0615 --> 00:33:31,670.0605 Um, so we have a few positions that are, we're in the process of filling, but, um, I think our permanent staff, if we're at full staff is about 10 to 12 people. 418 00:33:31,980.0615 --> 00:33:36,140.0615 And then we rely a lot on, uh, seasonal staff. 419 00:33:36,635.0615 --> 00:33:38,835.0615 And volunteers to help out as well. 420 00:33:39,530.0605 --> 00:33:51,945.0615 Yeah, You have a team of, uh, volunteers like docents and there's a, there's a friends organization also attached to Sagamore Hill, is that correct? Yeah, we're very grateful for the community. 421 00:33:51,945.0615 --> 00:33:54,425.0615 That is very, very heavily involved here. 422 00:33:54,795.0615 --> 00:33:58,865.0615 Um, and our volunteers do more than just, you know, do docents and tours. 423 00:33:58,945.0615 --> 00:34:01,595.0615 Uh, some are, some provide tours. 424 00:34:01,655.0615 --> 00:34:04,875.0615 Some work here at the museum to provide information to visitors. 425 00:34:05,255.0615 --> 00:34:09,215.0615 Some help the curatorial staff with cleaning and maintaining the house. 426 00:34:09,385.0615 --> 00:34:18,605.0615 And we even have a maintenance volunteer who basically a lot of the painting that you see around the park is done by our maintenance volunteer staff. 427 00:34:19,901.0615 --> 00:34:20,451.0615 wonderful. 428 00:34:21,131.0615 --> 00:34:35,360.0615 so what tips do you have for, uh, for our, our listening audience here who might be planning a visit there to Sagamore Hill this year? Uh, so definitely the most important thing to know is that if you want to tour the house, you have to go to recreation. 429 00:34:35,620.0615 --> 00:34:36,570.0615 gov to get tickets. 430 00:34:37,360.061 --> 00:34:44,590.0615 we don't sell tickets on site, which lets a lot of people down when they get here because the tickets do sell out pretty quickly. 431 00:34:44,640.0615 --> 00:34:45,420.0615 So it's very rare. 432 00:34:45,420.0615 --> 00:34:48,750.0605 You can come here on the day of the tour and get tickets to a tour. 433 00:34:49,160.0605 --> 00:34:50,840.0615 Um, so definitely go to recreation. 434 00:34:50,860.0615 --> 00:34:50,890.0615 gov. 435 00:34:50,890.1615 --> 00:34:55,605.0615 There's information that talks about how and when the tickets get released. 436 00:34:55,625.0615 --> 00:34:58,525.0615 So I'd read through all the need to know is on recreation. 437 00:34:58,765.0615 --> 00:34:59,245.0615 gov. 438 00:34:59,615.0615 --> 00:35:03,865.0615 Um, feel free to bring your dogs, just make sure you clean up after them. 439 00:35:04,635.0615 --> 00:35:07,345.061 Uh, don't be afraid to come into the museum and talk to the Rangers. 440 00:35:07,345.061 --> 00:35:09,385.0625 Most of us love talking to people. 441 00:35:10,105.0615 --> 00:35:12,955.0615 Yeah, this park is definitely a dog walker's paradise. 442 00:35:12,955.0615 --> 00:35:16,145.0615 We have so many dog walkers every single day. 443 00:35:16,565.0615 --> 00:35:27,205.0615 Um, and I think it's, it's easy for people to get distracted by the big gorgeous house and not realize that we also have the old orchard museum plus, several trails. 444 00:35:27,205.0615 --> 00:35:31,835.0615 And so coming out to the museum is a great idea and getting to see everything we have over here as well. 445 00:35:32,976.0615 --> 00:35:44,260.0615 So can someone walk around the property and, uh, can they come into the museum without paying a fee or, or, uh, it's only the tours that are The only fee activity is the tour inside the house itself. 446 00:35:44,776.0615 --> 00:35:45,216.0615 Okay. 447 00:35:45,736.0615 --> 00:35:46,286.0615 Terrific. 448 00:35:46,880.0615 --> 00:35:47,160.0615 yeah. 449 00:35:48,0.0615 --> 00:35:55,70.0615 So, when someone visits Sagamore Hill, are there Other Roosevelt related sites that visitors should see while they're in the area. 450 00:35:55,70.1615 --> 00:36:10,869.9615 Heh heh Yes, so, um, TR and Edith and a lot of Roosevelt family members are buried at Young Cemetery, which is just across of where you would turn down to the very long road that gets to Roosevelt. 451 00:36:11,170.0615 --> 00:36:12,660.0615 our driveway, basically. 452 00:36:13,40.0615 --> 00:36:20,880.0615 Um, and that it's also definitely worth just checking out the town, because again, you do still feel the family's influence and TR's influence in the town. 453 00:36:20,900.0615 --> 00:36:25,610.0615 And there's a lot of great, um, places and local businesses to check out in town. 454 00:36:25,610.0615 --> 00:36:28,150.0615 So you can definitely make a day out of it, for sure. 455 00:36:28,540.0615 --> 00:36:39,610.0615 Um, there's also, uh, in that same area, next to Young Cemetery, there is the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary, which is a bird sanctuary, birds were very near and dear to his heart. 456 00:36:39,890.0615 --> 00:36:44,530.0615 So that's another place if you're interested, that's got walking trails and the sanctuary. 457 00:36:44,940.0615 --> 00:36:49,540.0615 Um, there's also in New York City, the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace is another national park site. 458 00:36:50,40.0615 --> 00:36:54,340.0615 Who we work very closely with and that's at 28 East 20th Street. 459 00:36:55,180.0615 --> 00:36:56,940.0615 I don't know why that address is just fun to say. 460 00:36:57,600.0615 --> 00:37:01,600.0605 Um, and so that's something you could easily do in the same trip if you were visiting. 461 00:37:02,340.0605 --> 00:37:06,940.0615 And there's also, there's a few sites that are farther out in New York. 462 00:37:07,100.0615 --> 00:37:12,330.0615 Um, but we have Hyde Park, which are the, the Hyde Park Roosevelt's FDR and Eleanor. 463 00:37:12,750.0615 --> 00:37:23,409.9615 Um, they're, Their site is out there and the inaugural site is in Buffalo, which is a bit of a hike, but New York's got a few TR sites. 464 00:37:23,480.0615 --> 00:37:29,770.0625 far is Montauk Point at the end of Long Island? it's a little bit of a drive. 465 00:37:29,770.0625 --> 00:37:31,780.0625 I'd say it's about an hour and a half. 466 00:37:32,70.0625 --> 00:37:35,10.0615 If you're going in the summertime, I would plan for two hours. 467 00:37:35,160.0615 --> 00:37:35,370.0615 Yeah. 468 00:37:37,160.0625 --> 00:37:40,760.0615 There you can see where the Rough Riders had their quarantine camp. 469 00:37:40,830.0615 --> 00:37:43,924.0625 Have you been out there before, Larry? I have not made it to Montauk. 470 00:37:43,954.0625 --> 00:37:44,874.0625 I need to. 471 00:37:44,924.0625 --> 00:37:51,519.0625 we've made it to Sagamore Hill twice and loved every moment of it, Lindsay, Claire, Bethany, This has been great. 472 00:37:51,639.0625 --> 00:37:54,339.0625 We, uh, really appreciate you coming on the show here. 473 00:37:54,339.0625 --> 00:38:02,479.0615 I was going to ask if, uh, uh, where our listeners should go to find out more information about Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. 474 00:38:03,568.0625 --> 00:38:05,378.0625 Um, so you can check out our website. 475 00:38:05,388.0625 --> 00:38:08,418.0615 That would be the first place I would send you to. 476 00:38:08,418.0625 --> 00:38:09,498.0625 So that's NPS. 477 00:38:10,393.1625 --> 00:38:11,92.9625 NPS. 478 00:38:11,273.0625 --> 00:38:14,753.0625 gov slash S A H I. 479 00:38:15,603.0625 --> 00:38:16,663.0625 So NPS. 480 00:38:16,663.0625 --> 00:38:18,53.0625 gov slash SAHI. 481 00:38:18,413.0625 --> 00:38:27,633.0625 We are also very active on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, um, as Saguaro Hill NHS, National Historic Site. 482 00:38:29,123.0625 --> 00:38:35,663.0625 well thank you, all three of you for being on with us today, we've thoroughly enjoyed this, Thank you for having us. 483 00:38:35,933.0625 --> 00:38:36,203.0625 Yeah, thanks. 484 00:38:36,203.0625 --> 00:38:36,873.0625 It's been fun. 485 00:38:37,889.0625 --> 00:38:44,949.0615 Yeah, we so appreciate you making, uh, making time here at the end of a busy workday, uh, to talk to us and our listeners, talkaboutteddy. 486 00:38:44,969.0625 --> 00:38:45,429.0625 com. 487 00:38:47,13.0625 --> 00:38:47,773.0625 Yep, thank you. 488 00:38:47,943.0625 --> 00:38:48,683.0625 Absolutely great.