I just went to Theodore Roosevelt's House, my favorite Pres
Two days ago, I visited Theodore Roosevelt's house on Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay Long Island, Ny. It's seated on a hill and overlooks the bay on three sides. There is quite a lot of brush in the way of the view today and the land he used to own now belongs to other people. His wife sold off much of the land after he died and the family gave it to the Historical society in the mid '60's. It's a large victorian house with a massive porch he gave speeches on. Inside, it's mostly very dark which they said was a staple of the victorian era. I don't know if that's true but it's decorated like a very luxurious lodge. It's not too rugged looking but it definately has its fair share of trophies. The largest room on the first floor is directly in front of the massive front door. This is where he entertained his guests and holds the majority of animal heads as well as other things like one of his swords and a collection of christian artifacts. It also has the biggest elephant tusks you've ever seen. I tried to get a feel of what it was like to live in that time, feeling the railings he once gripped, looking for floorboard creeks, standing in places I thought was likely he stood for different scenarios. One of the things that took me back is standing on the upstairs balcony and looking down at the foyer right where Roosevelt once stood. The house had his very famous portrait of him in his black overcoat with his stern face on it above the stairs on the wall to the right of the balcony bannister. The one thing that took me back the most was standing on the front lawn right where prominant figures once stood to hear Roosevelt from his porch give his speech. I'll probably go back there some day. I bought a book about him I will read. The guide wasn't really much of a guide. He didn't really know too much about Roosevelt or the house which was kind of stupid.
I also visited Roosevelt's resting place which is a mile away from his house where his two sons are buried as well as his wife and other relatives. Two of his descendants had both died in the mid-80's to drunk-driving. They are also buried there. He had a great stone with a tall black fence around it. The Stone had the marking of the presidential seal on it as well as a plaque commemorating his recieving of the medal of honor in The Spanish American War. The Care taker was very informative and actually knew some of Roosevelt's relatives. He also built the steps to his grave. 26 steps in all honoring him as the 26th president of the United States. He's my favorite president and has been ever since I read his speech, "A Strenuous Life" that embodied the American Spirit in its entirety. Great men like him are now gone but it was an honor to stand in his house and relish the past when America ascended to the strength of a World Power.
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I'll never Forget. To pull You Closer is to Pull You Down. Ignorence can be an envy. Applaud us as the old American Power goes quietly into the night.
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04-02-2007, 12:28 PM
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