Happy Birthday, Teddy Roosevelt!

 Happy Birthday, Teddy Roosevelt!

A Governor of New York State and a President of our Nation, this great New Yorker was born on October 27th in 1858.

A sickly child, he overcame his childhood illnesses to become an American politician, author, naturalist, soldier, explorer, and historian, in addition to being Governor and President.

If you visit the New York State Capitol, you will see Teddy’s presence on almost every floor. The Flag Room on the Main Floor houses the regiment flags that marched with Teddy in Cuba at the “Battle of San Juan Hill” and with troops in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. On the second floor is the War Room and its ceiling mural depicts Teddy in his uniform from the Spanish-American War. (On the third floor, in the Senate Lobby is a portrait which includes then- Assemblyman Teddy Roosevelt [1882-1884] visiting his colleagues in the Senate during a brief break.) Also on the second floor is the Hall of Governors and Teddy’s portrait from his gubernatorial years is there. He was the State’s governor in 1899-1900.

In 1901, he became vice president of the United States and when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Teddy succeeded to the presidency. Incidentally, Teddy was in the Adirondacks when he received news of the assignation and traveled to Buffalo where he was inaugurated. In 1904 he was elected to a term of his own. He died in 1919.