Hello! I'm Theodore Roosevelt and I bid
you welcome to the Theodore Roosevelt
Birthplace National Historic Site
28 E 20th St in New York City.
I was born here on October 27th, 1858.
I've bid you welcome.
Come inside and say hello to my
friends from the National Park Service! Bully!
The unassuming house at 28 East 20th
Street in Manhattan is easy to overlook.
When it was built,
It was one of the many brownstone town
houses that characterized residential New York City
architecture in the mid 19th century.
The site, however, was the birthplace
and childhood home of Theodore Roosevelt,
naturalist, outdoorsman, soldier,
New York State governor and the nation's 26th.
President. Roosevelt and his family lived
in the house between 1854 and 1872,
when they moved to 6 W 57th Street
near 5th Ave.
Thus, Roosevelt was born in the house,
and spent his formative early childhood
years before moving at the age of 14.
The historic house you visit today is
not the actual house that Roosevelt
and his family occupied.
It was a reconstruction of the house,
opened as a memorial museum in
1923 to honor Theodore Roosevelt's
life and achievements.
After Roosevelt's incredible
life came to an end in 1919
at age 60, his wife, Edith,
sisters, Anna and Corinne, and other
friends and relatives created the
Women's Roosevelt Memorial Association.
Using privately raised funds,
they hired a renowned female architect
named Theodate Pope Riddle to design a
faithful reconstruction of the family
home on its original site at 28 E 20th St,
The re-creation shows the
house as it was in 1865,
with many of the original furnishings.
The original rowhouse next door at #26,
which was identical to the Roosevelts',
belonged to Theodore's uncle
Robert and was used as a model.
The twin house was demolished to
make space for the museum.
Theodate Pope Riddle oversaw
the reconstruction of the House,
complete with in adjoining museum.
Construction took place between
1920 and 1923.
On the 2nd anniversary of Roosevelt's death,
in 1921,
the cornerstone was laid by Leonard Wood,
Theodore's close friend since their
days is Rough Riders, and the house
was dedicated as the Roosevelt House.
The historic site consists of
five period rooms,
two museum galleries, a research library,
auditorium, and a gift shop.
The site was independently operated
for 40 years before the Roosevelt
Memorial Association donated it in
1963 to the National Park Service,
and it became Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
National Historic Site.
Today,
the birthplace and museum stand
as a tribute to the incredible Life
and legacy of one of the nation's
greatest presidents.
Come and see how one of the nation's
most beloved presidents grew up
in New York City.