Sagamore Hill NHS Celebrates a Fee-Free National Park Week April 17-25 2010

Date: April 1, 2010

Oyster Bay, NY: Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service will be celebrating National Park Week April 17-25, 2010. National Park Week was recently declared a Fee Free Week by order of Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. Therefore our normal tour fees for our ranger led tours of the Roosevelt home will be waived for the entire period between April 17 -25.  Visitors will still need to obtain tickets to tour the home of the 26th President, which they can obtain at the Visitor Center. Tours of no more than 14 visitors are offered on the hour between 10Am- 4:00PM on a first-come-first-served basis (Note: visitor facilities will be closed on Monday April 19 and Tuesday April 20 following our normal spring schedule, however visitors are welcome to walk the grounds and trails). 

In addition to the house tours and the Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard, Sagamore Hill will be offering a number of special programs during the week for families, including talks, walks and Junior Ranger activities.

Beach/Site Clean Up for Boy/Girl Scouts:  Saturday, April 17 9:30 AM-12:00 PM, there will be a Beach Clean Up beginning at 9:30AM. Meet at the Visitor Center at 9:00AM to register, wear appropriate shoes and old clothes. Following the work period, we will return to the Visitor Center for snacks and refreshments.  Participating scout groups will receive Certificates of Participation.  No reservations are required. For more information Scout Leaders can contact Ranger Scott Gurney at 516-922-4271 x-30. (Free)

Ranger guided Nature Walks: Sunday, April 18 at 2:00 PM, join one of our Rangers for a guided nature walk down our Nature Trail to the Cold Spring Harbor Inlet.  Participants will meet at the Visitor Center at 2:00pm and the walk will last approximately 1 hour.  The walk (less than 1 mile) requires walking on uneven trail surfaces and some hilly terrain, be sure to wear appropriate footwear and dress for the weather. (Free)

Junior Ranger Day: Saturday, April 24^th, 12:00PM - 4:00PM. Children’s craft activities will take place under our activity tent.  Children will be able to make special commemorative crafts with a TR theme!  Theodore Roosevelt as portrayed by James Foote will be on hand to greet families and children at the site between 11:00AM – 4:00PM. (Free)    

Ranger guided Nature Walks: Sunday, April 25 at 2:00 PM, join one of our Rangers for a guided nature walk down our Nature Trail to the Cold Spring Harbor Inlet.  Participants will meet at the Visitor Center at 2:00pm and the walk will last approximately 1 hour.  The walk (less than 1 mile) requires walking on uneven trail surfaces and some hilly terrain, be sure to wear appropriate footwear and dress for the weather. (Free)

The West Wing: Workshop of Democracy Exhibit continues to be on display at the Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard.  The exhibit, commissioned by the White House Historical Association, includes recently uncovered photographs that trace the renovation of the White House and the building of the West Wing during Theodore Roosevelt’s Presidency. The exhibition is on display through June 6, 2010. (Free)

Please note that the outdoor events are dependent upon the weather; some may be moved, postponed or cancelled due to inclement weather.  For more information visit us at www.nps.gov/sahi or call 516-922-4788.  

--NPS--

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, located at 12 Sagamore Hill Road, Oyster Bay, New York, is a unit of the National Park Service.  The site was established by Congress in 1962 to preserve and interpret the structures, landscape, collections and other cultural resources associated with Theodore Roosevelt’s home in Oyster Bay, New York, to ensure that future generations understand and appreciate the life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, his family and the significant events associated with him.  

During National Park Week we are open Wednesday through Sunday, (buildings closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but you are welcome to use the grounds, open daily from dawn to dusk).  Tours are offered on the hour from 10-4.  Tours are limited to fourteen persons and it is very likely that all the tours will be filled before the last tour at 4pm actually occurs. For more information please check out our website at www.nps.gov/sahi  or call 516-922-4788.

For more information on National Park Week activities across the country, please visit the National Park Week website at https://www.nps.gov/npweek/

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