Sagamore Hill
Encyclopedia
Sagamore Hill was the home of the 26th President of the United States
Theodore Roosevelt
from 1885 until his death in 1919. It is located at the end of Cove Neck Road in the Incorporated Village of Cove Neck, New York
, on Long Island
, 25 miles (40 km) east of Manhattan
. Sagamore Hill is located within the Oyster Bay 11771 Zip Code. It is now the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site and also includes the Theodore Roosevelt Museum.
It derives its name from Sagamore which is the title of the head of an Indian tribe
.
had designed his estate home
several hundred feet west of the Sagamore Hill property. In 1884 he hired the New York architectural firm Lamb & Rich to design a shingle-style, Queen Anne home for the property. The twenty-two room home was completed in 1886 for $16,975 (equal to $ today), and Roosevelt moved into the house in 1887. Roosevelt originally planned to name the house "Leeholm" after his wife Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt
. However, she died in 1884 and Roosevelt remarried in 1887, so he decided to change the name to "Sagamore Hill." In 1905 Roosevelt decided to expand the house adding the largest room, entitled the "North Room" (40x30) for $19,000 (equal to $ today). The home now has twenty-three rooms.
The house and its surrounding farmland became the primary residence
of Theodore and Edith Roosevelt
for the rest of their lives. Sagamore Hill took on its greatest importance when it became known as the "Summer White House" during the seven summers (1902-1908) Roosevelt spent there as President. Roosevelt died at Sagamore Hill in January 1919.
established Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
to preserve the house as a unit of the National Park Service
. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, Sagamore Hill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on October 15, 1966. The home is open to the public by guided tour, and almost all the furnishings are original. Also on the site is the Theodore Roosevelt Museum, which chronicles the life and career of the President. The museum is housed in the Old Orchard building, the former residence of Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and his family.
The site is open for visitation seven days a week from Memorial Day
to Labor Day
. During the fall and winter months it is open Wednesday through Sunday and closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
from 1885 until his death in 1919. It is located at the end of Cove Neck Road in the Incorporated Village of Cove Neck, New York
Cove Neck, New York
The Village of Cove Neck is a village located within the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 286 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, 25 miles (40 km) east of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Sagamore Hill is located within the Oyster Bay 11771 Zip Code. It is now the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site and also includes the Theodore Roosevelt Museum.
It derives its name from Sagamore which is the title of the head of an Indian tribe
Indian tribe
In the United States, a Native American tribe is any extant or historical tribe, band, nation, or other group or community of Indigenous peoples in the United States...
.
History
Although a native of New York City, Theodore Roosevelt spent many summers of his youth on extended vacations with his family in the Oyster Bay area. In 1880, by then a young adult of 22, Roosevelt purchased 155 acres (62.7 hectares) of land for $30,000 (equal to $ today) on Cove Neck, a small peninsula roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of the village of Oyster Bay. In 1881, his uncle James A. RooseveltJames A. Roosevelt
James Alfred Roosevelt was an American merchant, a member of the Roosevelt family, and an uncle of United States President Theodore Roosevelt. He became a member of his father Cornelius Roosevelt's mercantile firm at the age of twenty, and eventually succeeded him as its head...
had designed his estate home
James Alfred Roosevelt Estate
James Alfred Roosevelt Estate, also known as Yellowbanks, is a historic estate located at Cove Neck in Nassau County, New York. It is located several hundred feet west of Sagamore Hill, home of President Theodore Roosevelt. It was designed by noted architect Bruce Price in 1881 as a summer home...
several hundred feet west of the Sagamore Hill property. In 1884 he hired the New York architectural firm Lamb & Rich to design a shingle-style, Queen Anne home for the property. The twenty-two room home was completed in 1886 for $16,975 (equal to $ today), and Roosevelt moved into the house in 1887. Roosevelt originally planned to name the house "Leeholm" after his wife Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt
Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt
Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt was the first wife of Theodore Roosevelt. They had one child, Alice Lee Roosevelt.- Early Life and Courtship by Theodore Roosevelt :...
. However, she died in 1884 and Roosevelt remarried in 1887, so he decided to change the name to "Sagamore Hill." In 1905 Roosevelt decided to expand the house adding the largest room, entitled the "North Room" (40x30) for $19,000 (equal to $ today). The home now has twenty-three rooms.
The house and its surrounding farmland became the primary residence
Primary residence
A person's primary residence is the dwelling where they usually live, typically a house or an apartment. A person can only have one primary residence at any given time, though they may share the residence with other people...
of Theodore and Edith Roosevelt
Edith Roosevelt
Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt was the second wife of Theodore Roosevelt and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1901 to 1909.-Early life:...
for the rest of their lives. Sagamore Hill took on its greatest importance when it became known as the "Summer White House" during the seven summers (1902-1908) Roosevelt spent there as President. Roosevelt died at Sagamore Hill in January 1919.
National Historic Site
On July 25, 1962, CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
established Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
National Historic Sites (United States)
National Historic Sites are protected areas of national historic significance in the United States. A National Historic Site usually contains a single historical feature directly associated with its subject...
to preserve the house as a unit of the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, Sagamore Hill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on October 15, 1966. The home is open to the public by guided tour, and almost all the furnishings are original. Also on the site is the Theodore Roosevelt Museum, which chronicles the life and career of the President. The museum is housed in the Old Orchard building, the former residence of Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and his family.
Visiting
Tickets to visit the home are purchased at the Sagamore Hill Visitor Center and cost $5 for adults and free for children under the age of 15. Guided tours of the home are guaranteed on the hour.The site is open for visitation seven days a week from Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
to Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
. During the fall and winter months it is open Wednesday through Sunday and closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
External links
- Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, Nassau, NY: 13 drawings, 35 photos, 5 data pages, and 3 photo caption pages at Historic American Building Survey
- Sagamore Hill, Grey Cottage, Oyster Bay, Nassau, NY: 1 photo, 1 data page, and 1 photo caption page at Historic American Building Survey
- Official NPS website: Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
- TeddyRoosevelt.com: Sagamore's Man of the House
- Friends of Sagamore Hill
- More info on Sagamore at the Theodore Roosevelt Organization's Web site
- Youngs Memorial Cemetery