Moore's Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Moore's Building
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Moore's Building, 2008
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Oyster Bay, New York |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1901 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001043 |
| Added to NRHP | September 30, 1996 |
The Moore's Building is a really old and important building in Oyster Bay, New York. It was first built in 1901. This building became famous because Theodore Roosevelt, a former U.S. President, used it for his staff's offices. It's so special that it's on the National Register of Historic Places and is a local landmark. You can even learn about it on the Oyster Bay History Walk!
Contents
The Moore's Building Story
How the Building Began
The Moore's Building looks grand today with its Queen Anne style tower. But when James Moore first built it in 1891, it was much simpler. It started as a one-story wooden building. Only the front had a small section of brick.
Mr. Moore used this building for his grocery store. He also built other wooden shops next to it. These shops included Oyster Bay's very first ice cream parlor! There was also a furniture store and even an undertaker's business.
A Fire and a New Beginning
Just five years after they were built, a big fire broke out. It happened in the middle of the night. Several of the wooden buildings were destroyed. Luckily, the Atlantic Steamer Fire Company had a special fire engine called the Silsby Steamer. This steamer helped put out the fire. It saved Moore's Grocery from being completely destroyed.
In 1901, Mr. Moore decided to rebuild. He created the beautiful, tall building you see today. He kept the original brick part of the old building. The new building had a large space on the ground floor for his growing grocery business.
President Roosevelt's Summer Office
The upper floors of the new Moore's Building became very famous. Theodore Roosevelt was the U.S. President at the time. His home, Sagamore Hill, was known as the Summer White House. But his staff needed more office space.
So, President Roosevelt's team moved into the Moore's Building. This became the Summer Executive Offices. His secretary, William Loeb Jr., and his staff worked here. They handled all the President's business that didn't need his personal attention.
Connecting the World
Secretary Loeb made sure the offices were well-connected. He set up special telegraph and telephone "hotlines." These lines connected directly to Sagamore Hill and the White House in Washington, D.C. This made communication very fast and easy.
In 1903, something amazing happened here. The first "round the world" cable message was sent from this very building! It was a big step in global communication.
Moore's Building Today
The building was carefully restored in 1995. Since then, several restaurants have opened inside. It continues to be an important part of downtown Oyster Bay.
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