Skip to SearchSkip to NavigationSkip to BodySkip to Footer
National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service:  U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
Sagamore Hill National Historic Sitespring
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly

Theodore Roosevelt's Home

Sagamore Hill was the home of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, from 1885 until his death in 1919. During Roosevelt's time in office, his "Summer White House" was the focus of international attention. Otherwise, it was the home of a most remarkable fellow and his interesting family.

 
Eel creek boardwalk at Cold Spring Harbor.

SAGAMORE HILL IS OPERATING ON A FALL/WINTER SCHEDULE

Tours of Theodore Roosevelt's Home are currently being offered five days per week, Wednesday through Sunday,every hour from 10am to 4pm.

The Visitor Center and bookstore are also open Wednesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm to purchase tour tickets and retail items.

To learn more about touring the President's house, click here.

Visitors may also enjoy more than 80 acres of Sagamore Hill's natural landscape any day of the week from dawn to dusk. Be sure to explore the 1/2 mile wooded loop trail that goes from the Old Orchard Museum to the Eel Creek saltmarsh and the beach at Cold Spring Harbor.

 
Theodore and Alice Roosevelt

“Sagamore Hill Days” Fall Family Festival

On Saturday, October 24th Sagamore Hill NHS hosts a traditional Fall Family Festival from 11am to 5pm at the site, rain or shine. The festival will celebrate Sagamore Hill’s agricultural history as well as Theodore Roosevelt’s 151st birthday! Activities will include entertainment for children, old fashioned games and crafts, demonstrations and exhibits, music, pony rides, farm animal petting area, food vendors and more.

The day’s events will include music and entertainment: Local folk favorites Jessica Semmins and Johnny Cuomo will play traditional Irish music. Johnny Cuomo will also perform a solo set of children’s storytelling and songs. Traditional American Band Music from Theodore Roosevelt’s era will be performed.

Demonstrations will include a blacksmith, ropesmiths, and local partners with a variety of conservation themed exhibits; the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center will present their very popular Birds of Prey demonstration. The site will host pony rides and a farm animal petting area will be set up featuring the farm animals housed on the site while the Roosevelt family lived here. James Foote, portraying Theodore Roosevelt, will be present all day.

The visitor center gift shop will be open all day with a variety of gift items and books for sale. Local historian John Hammond will be on hand to sign his new book Images of America: Oyster Bay.

Food service of traditional American fare: hamburgers, hot dogs and popcorn will be available on the site or you may bring your own picnic. Visitors will be provided an opportunity to tour the Roosevelt home and to view the exhibits at the Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard as well as walk the grounds and Nature Trail.

All of the events, admission to the Roosevelt home are FREE (with the exception of the pony rides and petting area).

On Tuesday, October 27th, the actual birthdate of Theodore Roosevelt, the annual wreath laying ceremony will take place at 10AM at Young’s Memorial Cemetery, followed by ceremonies at Sagamore Hill. A Brass Quintet will perform during a special ceremony to retire the historic thirty-two star US flag to mark the end of a year-long observance celebrating the life and accomplishments of our 26th President. (This flag was first raised on TR’s 150th Birthday last year and recognizes the fact that TR was born on October 27, 1858 when there were only 32 states in the Union.) Visitors will be given the opportunity to tour the Roosevelt Home and Old Orchard Museum. Birthday cake will be served.

Saturday October 24, 2009 Family Fesitval Schedule Sagamore Hill is open from 10 to 4. Visitors may tour the President’s home, view the exhibits at Old Orchard, hike the Nature Trail, walk the grounds, picnic, etc. Main attractions for the day:

11AM-4PM Theodore Roosevelt, portrayed by James Foote

12PM Birds of Prey Demonstration, present by the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center

1PM Traditional Irish Music, with Jessica Semmins and Johnny Cuomo

2PM Children’s Stories and Songs, with Johnny Cuomo

3PM Traditional American Band Music

 
The

Sagamore Hill NHS Announces Significant Improvements for Historic Structures

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site announces $775,000 in historic preservation and site enhancements in the National Park Service’s on-going effort to protect and preserve the site’s historical resources and enhance the visitor experience. The work consists of three discreet projects: 1. Carriage Road stone wall restoration and preservation project (completed); 2. Road and Visitor pathway paving project (completed); 3. Historic Outbuilding preservation and re-roofing project (ongoing).
more...

 
The Big Flag.

Flag Folding on Sunday Afternoon

It has become part of the tradition at Sagamore Hill for children to assist in taking down and folding the large U.S. flag that flies in front of President Roosevelt's house every Sunday afternoon. Why Sunday? Well, family visitation is highest on weekends, and that's probably why the Sagamore Hill volunteer who started this tradition - Brendan Casey - likes to spend his Sundays here talking to kids about Theodore Roosevelt and about patriotism. So if you would like to help our rangers and volunteers fold the flag this Sunday, or any afternoon you happen to visit, just ask and we would be glad of your help.

 

Write to

20 Sagamore Hill Road
Oyster Bay, New York 11771

E-mail Us

Phone

Visitor Information
(516) 922-4788

Fax

(516) 922-4792

Climate

Summers in Oyster Bay are generally hot and humid. The Theodore Roosevelt home is not air-conditioned. The third floor of the house is subject to closure when the heat reaches high levels.

Winters are generally cold and damp with moderate amounts of snow and ice. Sagamore Hill is usually closed when local school districts announce closures due to snow storms.

Please dress appropriately for the weather. Heavy coats, hats and gloves are recommended for winter; light jackets are usually adequate in spring and fall; and very light clothing is desirable in the summer. Good walking shoes (sneakers, boots, etc.) are recommended for all seasons.
Skip to SearchSkip to NavigationSkip to BodySkip to Footer
Grayscale picture of the Blockhouse.  The Neilson House is visible to the right and rear.  

Did You Know?
Before Saratoga National Historical Park was a National Park Service site, it was a New York State historical preserve (1927-1938). The park's first visitor center was a reproduced blockhouse that reportedly contained boards from a barn around during the Battles of Saratoga.

Last Updated: October 13, 2009 at 11:02 EST