Sagamore Hill Long Island Home of Theodore Roosevelt Christmas with the Roosevelts 2015

Sagamore Hill, the  newly restored Oyster Bay, Long Island home of the twenty-sixth president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, was the site of a special event, "Christmas with the Roosevelts."

 The National Parks Service spent three years carefully repairing and restoring the structure, the  interior, and the artifacts of this treasure on the North Shore of Long Island.

 They provided new pathways around the Roosevelt's family home for the public to enjoy the natural beauty of the property.

 A very impressive wooden windmill.  In the day, Sagamore Hill was a working farm.

 One can just imagine the president roaming across the family fields and playing with his children, pointing out the different plants and animals.  He was a very involved father and encouraged physical activities out doors.

 The beauty of the weathered split rail fencing and the mature plantings and trees give the visitors to this National Park a true view of what Long Island looked like during the days of the "Summer White House. "   President Roosevelt lived at Sagamore Hill from 1885 until his death in 1919.

Sagamore Hill is named for the Algonquin word "Sagamore" which means chieftain or head of the tribe.

 This is an enormous Copper Beech tree that stands proudly just outside the front entrance to Roosevelt's home. 

Sagamore Hill was truly a family residence for the Roosevelts and their six children. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, Theodor's second wife, died there in 1948. Her working desk is prominently shown by the guides because she was in charge of the daily comings and goings and the finances at Sagamore Hill. Although Teddy Roosevelt was a prolific writer and author, naturalist, soldier, explorer and statesman, he left the handling of money to Edith. Good thing too, because he couldn't account for the spending money she would give him each day, according to the guides.

 Front door

 A historian giving a few anecdotes about the family.

 I noticed a mill stone near the curb.

 After the tour  of the interior first floor of Sagamore Hill, we were making our way to the parking field, and spotted James Foote, the twenty-sixth president re-enactor.

He as telling stories about the president, and was very

 gracious, so how could we leave without a photo with Teddy Roosevelt!

 Just before we got into our car, we noticed these beautiful cherry-like  fruit on a tree in the parking lot.

These are the leaves from that tree.  If anyone knows what type of tree this is please let me know.  Any plants that fruit or bloom this late in the season are interesting to me because I am sure that the fruit would be consumed by winter birds.  Natural berries or fruiting trees are essential to help encourage winter birds.

James Foote as the president.