Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

I've been reading through the three-volume biography of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris for a few years now.  While he wasn't perfect he was definitely a fascinating individual.  He contributed quite a bit towards the conservation movement and specifically towards the National Park Service via his frequent usage of the Antiquities Act to preserve National Monuments.  Six units in the NPS are actually associated with him and so far I've been to only three of them, and one of those visits was after our trip to Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo, New York.

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in New York City, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, New York, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo, New York, Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, and Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, DC, all trace his career and memorialize his contributions to America. Additionally, Theodore Roosevelt is one of four Presidents gracing Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. The National Park Service is honored to administer these park sites, and the many others Roosevelt made possible during his storied career as a conservationist.
--from Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace NHS site

Thankfully we were able to find parking in the site's parking lot, which isn't large, but is reserved for visitors, which is a good thing for a location in the middle of the city.

We approached the house from the rear as we left the parking lot.

We then made our way to the visitor center which is now connected to the house.

Inside we thankfully didn't have to wait too long before we were able to join a tour.  The house was owned by the Wilcox family in 1901 when Roosevelt was inaugurated during the Pan-American Exposition.

The first stop on the tour is a room full of the story of the exposition.

In 1901, President William McKinley visited the Pan-American, a large international fair being held in Buffalo, NY, to address the international crowds. While on the grounds of the exposition, President McKinley was shot by an assassin. After President McKinley had undergone surgery, Vice-President Roosevelt was summoned to Buffalo and stayed as a guest at the home of his friend, Buffalo attorney Ansley Wilcox. 
--from Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural NHS site

Our tour guide did a good job explaining the various rooms that we passed through on the tour and describing the circumstances that surrounded the inauguration.

This video captures the sounds of the site's recreation of the inauguration.  No microphones or cameras were in the room to capture the moment.

We were able to read a facsimile of the new president's first proclamation.

When the official tour ended we were able to walk around several exhibits.  Did you know that the West Wing was added to the White House during Roosevelt's years as president?

We were able to step into a recreation of Roosevelt's office in the West Wing.  From behind his desk we were able to select actions that we would take based on choices that faced him as president.  We even had the opportunity to have a picture from behind the desk.

Before we headed out I walked to the front of the house to get a picture of that side of the structure, though sadly I couldn't get a clean shot due to the construction.

You can view even more pictures from the site in this album.

~Matt