Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site preserves the Ansley Wilcox House, at 641 Delaware Avenue in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

. Here, after the assassination of

William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

took the oath of office as President of the United States on September 14, 1901. A New York historical marker outside the house indicates that it was the site of Theodore Roosevelt's Inauguration.

Property history

The oldest part of the National Historic Site includes the lone surviving structure from the Buffalo Barracks compound. Due to tensions between the U.S. and Anglo-Canada, a military post was constructed to ensure border security. Built in 1839, the post encompassed all the land from Allen Street to North Street and Delaware Ave to Main Street. The structure that would later be incorporated into the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site started life in 1840 as the Barracks' officers' quarters. After the post was disbanded in 1845, the home reverted to a private residence. Subsequent owners continued to modify the structure adding and demolishing out structures and additions. In the late 19th century, Dexter Rumsey gave the property to his son-in-law

Ansley Wilcox Ansley Wilcox (January 27, 1856 – January 26, 1930) was an American scholar, Oxford graduate, prominent lawyer, civil service reform commissioner, New York political insider and friend of Theodore Roosevelt. After the assassination of Will ...

and his wife Mary Grace Rumsey. The newest inhabitants made extensive renovations to the structure. Plans of these renovations are still on file at the Historic Site.

Inauguration of Theodore Roosevelt

In 1901, while attending the

Pan-American Exposition The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, United States, from May 1 through November 2, 1901. The fair occupied of land on the western edge of what is now Delaware Park, extending from Delaware Avenue to Elmwood A ...

, President William McKinley was shot twice at close range by anarchist

Leon Czolgosz Leon Frank Czolgosz ( , ; May 5, 1873 – October 29, 1901) was an American laborer and anarchist who assassinated President William McKinley on September 6, 1901, in Buffalo, New York. The president died on September 14 after his wound became ...

. Although early doctor's reports on the President's condition were positive, McKinley's condition soon worsened: while Vice President Theodore Roosevelt rushed back to Buffalo, he was informed on arrival that McKinley had died. Roosevelt Wilcox house

It was decided to conduct the inauguration immediately, due to the tragic and politically charged circumstances of President McKinley's death. The most appropriate site was determined to be the Wilcox home. Approximately 50 dignitaries, family members and cabinet officials gathered in the front library for the inauguration, while Federal Judge

John R. Hazel John Raymond Hazel (December 18, 1860 – October 31, 1951) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. He is notable for administering the oath of office to President Theodore Roo ...

administered the oath. No photographic image exists of the ceremony itself, although the room was heavily photographed after the inauguration had concluded.

Later history

The Wilcoxes continued to live in the home until their deaths in the 1930s. The home's furniture was sold at a

public auction In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

and the property became the Kathryn Lawrence Restaurant. The proprietors removed interior walls, demolished a carriage house, and painted many of the finished wood surfaces before the restaurant ceased operations in 1961.

Museum

The first part of the house is a museum displaying many items from the 1901

, including wine glasses, plates, playing cards, and the key to the

Temple of Music The Temple of Music was a concert hall and auditorium built for the Pan-American Exposition which was held in Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, New York (state), New York in 1901. President of the United States, United States President William McKinley ...

. The last room is a recreation of the office Roosevelt used during his presidency, and includes an interactive desk which can be used to send e-mails to yourself.''The National Parks: Index 2001–2003''. Washington:

U.S. Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...

Administrative history

The National Historic Site was authorized on November 2, 1966. As an historic area administered by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

, it was automatically listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

the same day.

References

External links

*
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation
*Kasparian, Lance.
Historic Structure Report: Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site
'. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 2006. Accessed 7 December 2008. *Hurst, Richard M. ''The Wilcox House''. Buffalo, NY: Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, Adventures in Western New York History, volume XIX (downloadable from http://bechsed.nylearns.org/, click on Adventures in WNY History)

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Roosevelt, Theodore, Inaugural National Historic Site Historic American Buildings Survey in New York (state) Roosevelt, Theodore Inaugural National Historic Sites in New York (state) Theodore Roosevelt Historic house museums in New York (state) Protected areas established in 1966 Presidential museums in New York (state) Museums in Buffalo, New York Houses in Buffalo, New York Houses in Erie County, New York 1966 establishments in New York (state) Houses completed in 1840 Assassination of William McKinley National Register of Historic Places in Buffalo, New York