Sagamore Hill facts for kids
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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
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Sagamore Hill
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Cove Neck, New York |
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| Area | 83.02 acres (33.60 ha) |
| Built | 1884 |
| Architect | Lamb & Rich C. Grant LaForge |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Visitation | 38,009 (2005) |
| Website | Sagamore Hill National Historic Site |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000096 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHS | July 25, 1962 |
Sagamore Hill was the beloved home of Theodore Roosevelt, who was the 26th president of the United States. He lived there from 1885 until he passed away in 1919. This historic house is found in Cove Neck, New York. It is close to Oyster Bay on the North Shore of Long Island, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Manhattan. Today, it is known as the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. This site also includes the Theodore Roosevelt Museum, which is in another building on the property.
Contents
The History of Sagamore Hill
Building a President's Home
Theodore Roosevelt grew up in New York City. He spent many of his childhood summers on long vacations with his family in the Oyster Bay area. In 1880, when he was 22 years old, Roosevelt bought 155 acres (63 ha) of land. He paid $30,000 for it, which would be worth about $970,000 today. This land was on Cove Neck, a small piece of land that sticks out into the water. It was about 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of the small town of Oyster Bay.
In 1884, Theodore Roosevelt hired a New York architecture company called Lamb & Rich. He wanted them to design a special house for his property. The house was built in a style called Queen Anne. Construction on the 22-room house began in May 1884. It was finished in March 1885 and cost about $17,000, which is like $590,000 today. Roosevelt first stayed there in the summer of 1885. He moved into the house permanently with his second wife, Edith, in March 1887. He had originally planned to name the house "Leeholm" after his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt. However, she passed away in 1884. So, when he remarried in 1886, he decided to change the name to "Sagamore Hill". The word Sagamore comes from the Algonquin language. It means "chieftain" or the leader of a tribe.
Expanding the House
In 1905, Roosevelt made the house even bigger. He added the largest room, which was called the "North Room". This room was designed by C. Grant LaFarge and measured 40 by 30 feet (12.2 by 9.1 m). It cost about $19,000, which is like $680,000 today. The North Room is decorated with special items. These include trophies from Roosevelt's hunting trips and gifts he received from leaders of other countries. It also holds art and books from the Roosevelt family's collection. After this addition, the house had 23 rooms. It even had a bathroom with a porcelain tub, which was a very fancy item back then.
The Summer White House
Sagamore Hill became the main home for Theodore and Edith Roosevelt for the rest of their lives. Three of their five children were also born there. These were Theodore Jr., Kermit, and Ethel. Sagamore Hill became very important when it was known as the "Summer White House". This was during the seven summers from 1902 to 1908 when Roosevelt was President. Many important people from other countries visited the house. Peace talks were also held there, which helped to end the Russo-Japanese War. Theodore Roosevelt passed away at Sagamore Hill on January 6, 1919. He was buried nearby at Youngs Memorial Cemetery.
Sagamore Hill Today
On July 25, 1962, the Congress decided to make Sagamore Hill a National Historic Site. This was done to protect the house as part of the National Park Service. Like other historic places managed by the National Park Service, Sagamore Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
You can visit the inside of the house by taking a tour with a ticket. Almost all the furniture and items inside are the original ones. The outdoor grounds are open to everyone, and there is no charge to enter. Also on the site is the Theodore Roosevelt Museum. This museum tells the story of the President's life and career. The museum is located in a house built in 1938 called "Old Orchard". This was once the home of Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and his family. Sagamore Hill was closed for about four years, from 2011 to 2015. This allowed for important restoration work to be done. The visitor center at Sagamore Hill was damaged by a fire on Christmas Eve 2018. Luckily, no one was hurt, as Sagamore Hill was closed at the time.
See also
