Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site facts for kids
|
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
|
|
.jpg)
(2025)
|
|
| Location | 28 East 20th Street New York, New York, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.11 acre (450 m2) |
| Built | 1848 (demolished 1916) rebuilt 1923 (replica) |
| Architect | Theodate Pope Riddle (replica) |
| Visitation | 11,158 (2005) |
| Website | Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000054 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
The Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site is a special place in New York City. It's a recreated brownstone house, which means it looks just like the original home where Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, was born and grew up. You can find it at 28 East 20th Street in the Flatiron District of Manhattan.
Contents
A President's Childhood Home
The first house on this spot was built in 1848. Theodore Roosevelt's family bought it in 1854. Theodore was born right here on October 27, 1858. He lived in this house with his family until 1872. At that time, the neighborhood started to get busy with shops. So, his family moved to a new home further uptown.
Rebuilding a Historic Home
The original house was torn down in 1916 to make space for stores. But after Roosevelt passed away in 1919, a group called the Women's Roosevelt Memorial Association bought the land. They decided to rebuild the house exactly as it was.
A talented architect named Theodate Pope Riddle was chosen for this important job. She used the house next door, which was a twin to the Roosevelt home, as a model. She also designed a museum right next to the rebuilt house. The new house was finished in 1923.
Furnishing the Replica Home
Roosevelt's wife, Edith, and his two sisters helped furnish the rebuilt house. They brought back many original items. They also shared memories of how the rooms looked when Theodore was a child. This helped make the replica feel just like the real home.
In 1963, the Theodore Roosevelt Association gave the birthplace to the National Park Service. It became a National Historic Site on October 15, 1966. Today, it's a museum where you can learn about the life of President Roosevelt.
Roosevelt's Memories of His Home
Theodore Roosevelt wrote about his childhood home in his autobiography. He described the different rooms and what they meant to him.
He remembered the dining room having black haircloth furniture. It would scratch his legs when he sat on it! The middle room was a library, but it had no windows. This meant it was mostly used at night.
The front room, called the parlor, seemed very grand to the children. It was usually only open on Sunday evenings or for special parties. Roosevelt especially remembered a fancy glass chandelier with many cut-glass prisms. He once secretly took a prism that fell off and kept it as a treasure!
He also recalled a Swiss wood carving of a hunter and chamois (mountain goats). He worried about a small chamois kid being caught by the hunter. Another item was a Russian figure pulling a gilt sledge on a piece of malachite. He thought the malachite was as valuable as diamonds!
Architecture of the Birthplace
The house is a three-story brownstone with a special kind of roof called a mansard roof. It also has a high set of steps, known as a stoop, leading up to the main entrance. The decorative moldings above the windows and doorway are in the Gothic Revival style.
In 2014, the architect Theodate Pope Riddle was honored for her work on rebuilding the home. It was recognized as a winning site in the Built by Women New York City competition. This award celebrates amazing places designed and built by women.
Explore More
- List of residences of presidents of the United States
- List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City
See also
In Spanish: Lugar Histórico Nacional del Nacimiento de Theodore Roosevelt para niños
