Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace Front Parlor

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace front parlor

NPS

Quick Facts

Location:

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace (28 E. 20th St., New York NY 10003)

Significance:

The charter to the American Museum of Natural History was unanimously accepted in this room.

Theodore Roosevelt describes the room as " a room of much splendor, but was open for general use only on Sunday evening or on rare occasions when there were parties." (Autobiography, p. 6). This is the room for meetings guests and special gatherings. One such meeting included a number of gentlemen who gathered and voted to accept the Charter to the American Museum of Natural History. Theodore Roosevelt recalls a time he was in the room: "The ornaments of that parlor I remember now, including the gas chandelier decorated with a great quantity of cut-glass prisms. These prisms struck me as possessing peculiar magnificence. One of them fell off one day, and I hastily grabbed it and stowed it away, passing several days of furtive delight in the treasure, a delight always alloyed with fear that I would be found out and convicted of larceny." (Autobiography, p. 6)

Duration:

5 minutes, 8 seconds

Enjoy stories about Teedie's childhood and what influenced his opinions and actions later in life.