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Establishment of the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee Report 1729 on H.R. 8484: July 13, 1962
Calendar No.1688
ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT BIRTHPLACE JULY 13, 1962 - Ordered to be printed Mr. BIBLE, from the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H.R. 8484] The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 8484) to authorize establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites, N. Y., and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon and recommend that the bill do pass. PURPOSE The purpose of H.R. 8484 is to provide for the acceptance by the United States of the offer of the Theodore Roosevelt Association to donate (1) the site on East 20th Street, New York City, where Theodore Roosevelt was born in 1858, the house (a replica of his parents' home at the time of his birth) that stands on that site, and the duplicate house that stands next door; (2) Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's home from 1885 until his death in 1919, plus about 85 acres of surrounding land; (3) the furnishings of these homes; and (4) a fund of $500,000 or more which will be available to assist in the maintenance and development of these properties. The bill will also give the Theodore Roosevelt birthplace and Sagamore Hill the status of national historic sites and provide for their administration as such by the National Park Service. DISCUSSION The stature of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States (1901-09), is so well known and so generally appreciated by the American people that it need not be reviewed here. The committee is unanimously of the opinion that the maintenance under Federal PAGE 2 auspices of his birthplace and home as historic sites is fully justified and in the national interest. Sagamore Hill, built by young Theodore Roosevelt in 1884, was, among other things, the summer White House during his Presidency and the place at which the negotiations which led to the end of the Russo-Japanese war in 1906 were initiated. It and the birthplace in New York City are crammed with reminders of all phases of his life – his life as an author, his life as a soldier, his life as an ardent outdoorsman, conservationist, his life as a statesman. Although, as noted above, the stature of Theodore Roosevelt in American history is so well known that nothing will be added to it by anything that is said here, much of the present work of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs stems so directly from his Presidency that the committee cannot forbear noting several such items. It was during his Presidency that the Reclamation Act of 1902, the foundation of all Federal reclamation law, went on the statute books. It was during this period that the Antiquities Act of 1906, one of the keystones of the national park system its we know it today, became law. It was during this period that the United States first made its entry into the hydroelectric power field, through a 1906 supplement to the reclamation laws. During his Presidency, moreover, at least 25 reclamation projects were started – among them the Boise project, Idaho; the Klamath project, Oregon-California; the North Platte project, Wyoming-Nebraska; the Rio Grande project, New Mexico-Texas; the Stilt River project, Arizona; the Yakima project, Washington; and the Yuma project, Arizona-California-and there were 20 major additions to the national park system-additions that today bear such names as Crater Lake National Park, Oregon; Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona; Lassen Volcanic National Park, California; Olympic National Park, Washington; Muir Woods National Monument, California; Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming; Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota; Mesa Verde National Park, Colo.; Chalmette National Historical Park, Louisiana; Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico; and Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah. These are, of course, but a small part of Theodore Roosevelt's contributions to the American scene of today but they serve to remind the committee, in a very direct way, of the American people's debt to him. COST As has already been pointed out, Theodore, Roosevelt House and Sagamore Hill will be donated to the Government. The Interior Department reports that development costs - principal for reconstruction or restoration of several outbuildings at Sagamore Hill, provision of visitors' accommodations there, and establishment of nature trails on the lands that go with it – will probably amount to $325,000 and that maintenance costs will run to about $95,000 it year at present price levels. The $500,000 to be contributed by the Theodore Roosevelt Association, plus such additional sums as is received from the same source or from others, will either more than cover the development costs or, if treated as an endowment fund, will pay for a part of the maintenance costs. The remainder of these costs, or a large part of them, can be covered by a continuance of the present system of charging a fee for admission to Sagamore Hill or by appropriations of modest amounts from the Federal Treasury. PAGE 3 In any event, there will be comparatively slight annual cost to the Government. DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATIONS The recommendations of the Department of the Interior are set forth below:
DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR, Hon. SAM
RAYBURN, DEAR MR. SPEAKER: Enclosed is a draft of a proposed bill to authorize establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites, N.Y., and for other purposes. We suggest that the, bill be referred to the appropriate committee for consideration, and we recommend that it be enacted. This proposed legislation will enable the Secretary of the Interior to acquire, by donation, the properties known as the Theodore Roosevelt House, situated at 28 and 26 East 20th Street, New York City, and Sagamore Hill on Long Island. The former, under the provisions of the bill, will be established as the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site and the latter as the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site after the lands, improvements, and other properties described in the bill, and $500,000 from the endowment fund are transferred to the United States. It is very probable that additional funds will be added to this endowment by the association in the future. Sagamore Hill was the home of Theodore Roosevelt from 1887 to his death in 1919. Built in the Victorian style of architecture, it stands on a hill that overlooks and commands a fine view of Oyster Bay and Long Island Sound, N.Y. Roosevelt began his life at Sagamore Hill upon his return from his hone moon in Europe with Edith Carow, his second wife. This was his home from that time on until his death, and in it are the furniture, mementos, books, and bric-a-brac that lie gathered during his busy and eventful life. This home and its contents are the finest existing physical reminders of Theodore Roosevelt, a man who fastened upon his countrymen an image of character and vigor that is valuable to the American tradition. These things make Sagamore Hill an important historic site worthy of preservation. The birthplace house at 28 East 20th Street was owned by the Roosevelt family when Theodore was born there October 27, 1858. He spent part of his childhood there. The adjoining house, at 26 East 20th Street, and the birthplace were purchased by the Women's Roosevelt Memorial Association in 1919 and were joined together and furnished as a memorial. In terms of historic site development, the Sagamore Hill site presents no problems as it provides almost an ideal setting. The house with its original furnishings is as unique as "Teddy" Roosevelt himself. Moreover, it is easily accessible by automobile and railroad, situated as it is only 29 miles from New York City. The birthplace has been largely reconstructed, with five rooms refurnished with period furniture. The fourth floor has been converted into a 200- PAGE 4 seat auditorium and is used by groups interested in the life of Theodore Roosevelt. No land acquisition costs are involved in this proposed legislation. It has been estimated at development costs for the proposed Sagamore Hill National Historic Site would approximate $250,000 to provide additional facilities for increased public visitation. No developments are anticipated at the birthplace site house. Annual costs of administration for the two sites, once they have been established, would be about $95,000. The Theodore Roosevelt Association is at the present time making both properties available to the public and the fees from Sagamore Hill provide enough funds to make this area self-supporting. The birthplace is not self-supporting at the present time. The income from fees and the endowment fund will go, a long way toward offsetting the cost of administration. The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection to the submission of this proposed legislation to the Congress from the standpoint of the of the administration's program. Sincerely
yours,
A BILL To authorize establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites, New York, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order to preserve in public ownership historically significant properties associated with the life of Theodore Roosevelt, the Secretary of the Interior may acquire, by donation from the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the sites and structures known as the Theodore Roosevelt House situated at 26 East 20th Street, New York City, consisting of approximately 1.1 acre, and Sagamore Hill, consisting of not to exceed 9O acres, and the, improvements thereon, together with the furnishings and other contents, of the structures. SEC. 2. (a) In accordance with the Act entitled "An Act to Create a National Park Trust Fund Board, and for other purposes", approved July 10, 19,35 (49 Stat. 477), as amended, the, National Park Trust Fund Board, may accept from the Theodore Roosevelt Association $500,000 and such additional amounts its the Association may tender from the endowment fund under its control, which funds, when accepted, shall be utilized only for the purposes of the historic sites established pursuant to this Act. SEC. 2. (b) Nothing in this Act shall limit the authority of the Secretary of the Interior under other provisions of law to accept in the name of the United States donations of property. SEC. 3. When lands, interests in lands, improvements, and other properties comprising the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill, as authorized for acquisition by section one of this Act, and it portion of the endowment fund in the amount of $500,000 have been transferred to the United States, the Secretary of the, Interior shall establish PAGE 5 the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites by publication of notice thereof in tile Federal Register. SEC. 4. The Secretary of the Interior shall administer, protect, and develop the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites in accordance with the provisions of the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1 find the following), as amended and supplemented. SEC. 5. The Executive Committee of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, by having its patriotic and active interest preserved for posterity these important historical sites, buildings, said objects, shall, upon establishment of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites, serve in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of the Interior in matters relating to their preservation. SEC. 6. There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Act. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs recommends that H.R. 8484 be enacted. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW In compliance with subsection (4) of rule XXIX of the Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): ACT OF MAY 31, 1920 (41 STAT. 691), As AMENDED SEC. 3. That the purpose of this corporation shall be to perpetuity the memory of Theodore Roosevelt for the benefit of the people of the United States of America and of the world, and to that end, but without restriction to the objects enumerated below, to solicit, receive, hold, and maintain it fund or funds, and to apply the principal thereof and income therefrom to any one or more of the following objects: (1) The erection and maintenance of a suitable and adequate monumental memorial in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, to the memory of Theodore Roosevelt; (2) The acquisition, development, and maintenance of a public park in memory of Theodore Roosevelt in the town of Oyster Bay. New York; [and] (3) The establishment and maintenance of an endowment fund to promote the development and application of the policies and ideals of Theodore Roosevelt for the benefit of the American people [.]; (4) The donation of real and personal property, including part or all of its endowment fund, to a public agency or public agencies for the purpose of preserving in public ownership historically significant properties, associated with the life of Theodore Roosevelt. -End- |