We were returning to visit Sagamore Hill which we were unable to get tickets for when we were there earlier in the month with Stephanie. We left early to avoid the winds that were expected to pick up as the day wore on. We wound our way through Oyster Bay where there must have been almost 300 sailboats moored or anchored. We passed a section of beautiful classic wooden sailboats that we always admire but never desire anymore.
We found our way to the eastern edge of the mooring field where most of the smaller power boats were. We wanted to be closer to the shore so it wouldn’t be such a long dinghy ride. It took us four tries at three different locations to finally get the anchor to set!
We dinghied into town and had lunch at the same Canterbury Oyster Bar and Grill we went to with Stephanie because we liked it and it had the most interesting menu and cozy atmosphere. Afterwards, we Ubered to Sagamore Hill where we explored the well-tended grounds before beginning our tour. Walking along a lovely wooded path that took us to that a marshy beach area, we had stunning views of the water and surrounding landscape.
Afterwards, we headed up to the main house for our tour. It was quite interesting. Teddy Roosevelt (who hated being called Teddy and preferred TR) was particularly accomplished and amazingly energetic. His home was filled with vestiges of his hunting passion. Stuffed and mounted heads and bear rugs were plentiful and in most every room except the bedrooms where Edith drew a line! TR was an author of over 45 speeches, articles and books. There were many bookshelves filled with thousands of books. He was known to read an average of a book a day, even while president and sometimes reading several at a time.
TR was famously dedicated to his large family and this Summer White House, as well as the one in Washington, was filled with the laughter and the shenanigans of his six rambunctious children. He, reportedly, was the leader of the pack in many cases.
Both he and his wife died at Sagamore Hill though she lived many years longer than he. He had built the house as a young man and no other family ever lived there. When Edith died she turned it over to the government to be preserved as a national treasure. The home has almost all its original furnishings. It is not overly formal and one can easily imagine it serving as a warm family home as well as an appropriate setting for the many heads of state and notable Americans who visited.
We weren’t able to get an Uber back to Oyster Bay but we were able to hitch a ride with a couple who was on the tour with us. They were in town from Texas having brought their daughter to her freshman year at college in a nearby university. After stopping at the grocery store where we bought some nice cod for dinner, we headed back to Zendo. Lynn wasn’t feeling 100% so we didn’t cook the cod. Instead, after a nap we settled in and prepared for our next stop to City Island by watching the movie, City Island!
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