Wings Over the Woodlands and Wetlands -- Background Information

When Swiss explorer Baron Christoph de Graffenried made these observations in 1711, Theodore Roosevelt Island was called "Anacostian" or "Analostan," words derived from a local Indian name. Native Americans living in the area hunted, fished and gathered food on the 88-acre island. Pottery fragments and stone arrowheads found on the island offer a glimpse into this part of the island's past.

In 1717, the island was purchased by the Mason family of Virginia and would remain in their possession for 125 years. George Mason, who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights and helped draft the Federal Constitution, inherited the island from his father. In turn, he willed it to his son, John, who received it upon the elder Mason's death in 1792. John Mason built a brick mansion on the island and extensively cultivated and landscaped the surrounding grounds.

Mason's Island became known as one of the finest farm estates in the area. "Taking the whole together, it is the most enchanting spot I have ever beheld!" wrote journalist and author Anne Newport Royall in 1828. "A smooth, noble river in front, encircled by the same on all sides...the variety ;and richness of the dazzling flowers, intermingled with every shade of green...the broad, straight walks...the exact, level squares... the wild, woven bowers... the varied shrubbery, the lofty trees... the melody of the birds, every where redundant in the nicest touches of taste and skill... it staggers belief that such is reality, and fills the mind with intoxicating pleasure."

In 1832, the Masons left the island after a causeway built to the Virginia shore stagnated part of the Potomac River and created unhealthy living conditions. During the Civil War, the federal government took over Mason's Island and used it as a draft rendezvous point. It also was an encampment for the 1st United States Colored Troops, one of the first formally established black Army units in the war. A variety of structures were erected on the island at this time and were used in the training and housing of the soldiers.

Except for the war period, Mason's Island was used for farming and a variety of recreational activities. Boxing matches, jousting tournaments and even balloon launches took place there. Beginning in the 1890s, various proposals were made for use of the island, including one for a large coal gas manufacturing plant, one for an amusement park and yet another for a grand hotel and exhibition building. But these ideas fell by the wayside, and in 1931 the island was purchased by the Roosevelt Memorial Association for a living memorial to the 26th U.S. president.

Construction of the formal memorial, which includes a 17-foot bronze statue of Roosevelt, began in 1963. The memorial was formally dedicated on October 27, 1967. Owned and maintained by the National Park Service, the memorial and the island that now bears Roosevelt's name serve as a reminder of the president's conservation legacy.

Theodore Roosevelt truly was a renaissance man. He was a naturalist, author, explorer and even a rancher. His military skills were the stuff of legend, and his political career as governor and United States president earned him a revered place in history. "Such versatility, such vitality, such thoroughness, such copiousness," wrote the famous naturalist John Burroughs, "have rarely been united in one man."

Born in New York City on October 27, 1858, Roosevelt was determined to overcome the asthma and other ailments that kept him bedridden for much of his youth. He set up his own home natural history museum by age eight, inspired by the many books his uncle, Robert B. Roosevelt, had written about natural history. Roosevelt was proficient in taxidermy by his 11th birthday. When he was 14, he journeyed up the Nile River with his family, keeping an extensive diary filled with observations of animal behaviors and natural phenomena. This trip also provided the opportunity to collect dozens of bird species. As an adult, he was considered to be one of the foremost field naturalists in the country. Following in his uncle's footsteps, Roosevelt authored many books about natural history.

Theodore Roosevelt rose to the presidency in 1901 following the assassination of President William McKinley. At this time, our nation's natural resources were facing severe threats. More than half of our timber had been cut, fertile topsoil had washed into rivers and many wildlife species were threatened with extinction. Conservation - using natural resources such as trees and water in a way that leaves them unimpaired for future generations to use - was a new concept in Roosevelt's time. Many people viewed natural resources as inexhaustible and wilderness as something to be conquered. Roosevelt, who once said there "be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country," brought this issue to the forefront of the national conscious.

During Roosevelt's presidency, the number of National Parks in the United States doubled. Roosevelt established such sites as Grand Canyon in Arizona, Muir Woods in California, Devil's Tower in Wyoming and Jewel Cave in South Dakota. He also established 51 Federal Bird and Game Preserves (later known as National Wildlife Refuges). This included our nation's first preserve, Pelican Island, in Florida. During the Roosevelt administration, 150 million acres of forest were added to our National Forest system.

In 1908, Roosevelt called for a conference of governors to consider issues dealing with the conservation of our natural resources. From this conference, the 49-member National Conservation Commission was formed to prepare this country's first study of its natural resources. The majority of governors attending also established conservation commissions in their home states.

Roosevelt's love of nature was reflected not only in the policies he put into law but also in his day-to-day actions. Tradition holds that Roosevelt once was late for an important White House meeting, a cause for concern among some of those attending. Finally, the president burst through the door. "Gentlemen," he exclaimed, "you'll never believe what has happened. I just saw a Chestnut-sided Warbler, and it is only February!" Roosevelt never lost the love for birds he developed as a youth.

"I would like to see all harmless wild things, but especially all birds, protected in every way," Roosevelt wrote in 1899. "Spring would not be spring without birds and flowers and I only wish that besides protecting the songsters, the birds of the grove, the orchards, the garden and the meadow, we would also protect the birds of the seashore and of the wilderness. When I hear of the destruction of a species I feel just as if all the works of some great writer had perished."

The island actually contains three distinct communities: upland forest, swamp forest/floodplain, and tidal marsh. Each community contains characteristic plant and animal species. Nearly 50 tree species have been identified on the island. Willow oaks line the memorial area and the surrounding upland forest contains tulip poplar, beech, hickory and several species of oak. Willow, ash, and sycamore grow in the wetter areas; they don't mind getting their feet wet. In addition to the trees, other woody vegetation includes spicebush, a common understory shrub whose yellow flowers bloom early in the spring. Poison ivy, a food source for many birds, exists in all three communities of the island. Approximately 275 herbaceous plant species have been identified on the island, including a colorful variety of spring wildflowers.

Living among this profusion of plants are several species of mammals. Along the island's perimeter and areas adjacent to the tidal marsh, signs of beaver activity are plentiful. Raccoon tracks are visible on the river's banks and in muddy areas along the island's trails. Mole tunnels crisscross the wooded areas surrounding the memorial, and gray squirrels move busily through the upland forest. Other resident mammals include red fox, opossum, shrews and chipmunk. While most of these animals are rarely seen by island visitors, signs of their presence -- tracks, nests and scat -- are there to discover.

Several species of reptiles and amphibians live on and around the island. Box turtles wander through the upland forest, while snapping turtles patrol the surrounding waters. In summer, painted turtles sun themselves on logs littering the shore. Fowler's toads frequently are encountered along the island's trails. Several frog species might be seen or heard in the marsh and swamp areas, including spring peepers, pickerel frogs and bull frogs. Black rat snakes, eastern garter snakes and northern water snakes all are found here. There are no poisonous snakes on the island, and the resident snakes are quite shy.

The most conspicuous and plentiful of the island's inhabitants are birds. Throughout the year, a wide variety of birds utilize the island for nesting, feeding and resting during migrations. To date, more than 150 bird species have been identified there. The northern cardinal, Virginia's state bird, is a year-round resident. The red and orange trumpet creeper flowers in summer, attracting ruby-throated hummingbirds. A variety of herons and egrets -- great blue and green-backed herons, and snowy and great egrets -- wade along the shore or in the marsh searching for their next meal. Other birds who live on or frequent the island include great horned owls, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, wood ducks, belted kingfishers and several woodpecker species.

There is a hidden community on Theodore Roosevelt Island, a community undiscovered by most island visitors. It is inhabited by sow bugs and slugs, millipedes and fungi. It is here -- beneath the leaves and rocks, in the soil and fallen logs, hidden in the branches of shrubs and the bark of trees -- that a careful observer will discover spectacular spiders, beautiful beetles and ambitious ants. These organisms play a crucial role as members of the island community: they are the decomposers and recyclers, the aerators of the soil and vital strands in the island food web.

Though surrounded by urban development, Theodore Roosevelt Island supports a diverse community of plants and animals. The island community is a fragile, complex and interrelated web of organisms, each contributing to the survival of the island ecosystem as a whole. The island's proximity to large urban areas, its fascinating history and its diverse community of plants and animals make it a natural place for exploration and learning.