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 home of Theodore Roosevelt. He was the 26th President of the United States. He lived here from 1885 until he passed away in 1919. This special house is located in Cove Neck, New York, near Oyster Bay. It's in Nassau County on Long Island, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Manhattan.
Today, Sagamore Hill is known as the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. It also includes the Theodore Roosevelt Museum. This museum is in another building on the property.
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A Home for a President
Theodore Roosevelt grew up in New York City. He spent many summers with his family in the Oyster Bay area. In 1880, when he was 22, Roosevelt bought 155 acres (63 ha) of land on Cove Neck. This is a small piece of land that sticks out into the water. It's about 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of the town of Oyster Bay.
Building the House
In 1884, Theodore Roosevelt hired a company called Lamb & Rich. They were architects from New York. Their job was to design a beautiful house for him. It was built in the Queen Anne style. The house has 22 rooms. It was finished in 1886. Roosevelt moved into his new home in 1887.
He first planned to name the house "Leeholm" after his wife, Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt. But she passed away in 1884. Roosevelt got married again in 1886. So, he decided to change the name to "Sagamore Hill." The word Sagamore comes from the Algonquin language. It means "chieftain" or "head of the tribe."
Expanding the Home
In 1905, Roosevelt made his house even bigger. He added the largest room, called the "North Room." It was designed by C. Grant LaFarge. This room is 40 by 30 feet (12.2 by 9.1 m). Inside, you can see special items from Roosevelt's hunting trips. There are also gifts he received from leaders of other countries. The room also holds art and books from the Roosevelt family's collection. After this addition, the house had 23 rooms. It even had a modern porcelain bathtub, which was a luxury back then!
The Summer White House
Sagamore Hill became the main home for Theodore and Edith Roosevelt. Three of their five children were born here. The house became very important when Roosevelt was President. People called it the "Summer White House." This was during the seven summers he spent there as President (1902–1908).
Many important people from other countries visited Sagamore Hill. Peace talks happened here that helped end the Russo-Japanese War. Theodore Roosevelt passed away at Sagamore Hill on January 6, 1919. He is buried nearby at Youngs Memorial Cemetery.
Preserving History
On July 25, 1962, the Congress decided to protect Sagamore Hill. They made it a National Historic Site. This means it is now part of the National Park Service. It helps make sure the house is preserved for everyone to see. On October 15, 1966, Sagamore Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, you can visit the home on a guided tour. Most of the furniture and items inside are original. There is also the Theodore Roosevelt Museum on the site. It tells the story of the President's life and work. The museum is in a house called "Old Orchard." This was once the home of Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and his family.
Sagamore Hill was closed for about four years (2011 to 2015). This was so important restoration work could be done. The visitor center at Sagamore Hill was damaged by a fire on Christmas Eve 2018. Luckily, no one was hurt because the site was closed at the time.
Images for kids
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A view of Sagamore Hill.
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The windmill at Sagamore Hill.
