Quantcast
Newspaper cover

Flip through
today’s papers
Newspaper cover

Flip through
today’s papers
Real Estate

Theodore Roosevelt’s birthplace: Tour the brownstone where the 26th president’s life began

By Posted on
  • Upon arriving at the reconstructed brownstone, you may be tempted to climb the stairs to the front door -- but not so fast! Your journey back in time begins on the hour via a guided tour.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • Before or after your tour, be sure to check out the lower gallery, which houses plenty of Teddy Roosevelt memorabilia and artifacts. You'll also find a new interactive exhibit where you can learn about different facets of Roosevelt's life via animated films.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • Tours begin on the home's ground floor with a peek at the Roosevelts' library. Shelves on either end of the room are stocked full of the family's old books. Between one bookshelf and the room's fireplace is a red chair that young Teddy loved sitting in to get lost in a new read. And we don't blame him: This unique library is definitely one for the books.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • This dining room is where the Roosevelts enjoyed family meals. The dining table was a gift from his grandparents, who lived close to Union Square Park.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • A party room fit for the elite, the Roosevelts' parlor was used primarily for social events. Teddy's father was a philanthropist and raised money for organizations including the American Museum of Natural History, where he served as a founder and original director of its board of directors.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • The parlor's focal point is this lead crystal chandelier made by the family's business, which was near Maiden Lane in the Financial District.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • This Chickering & Sons box piano is a rare antique that the Roosevelts enjoyed in the parlor.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • The children's room is where the youngest Roosevelt kids slept. When Teddy was a child, he suffered from sometimes debilitating asthma. When he was 12, his father built him a small gymnastics court just outside the bedroom so the boy could play in at his own pace. By age 20, his asthma had virtually disappeared.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • Roosevelt was born in his parents' bedroom. The master bedroom included a bed set, made of rosewood from Asia, that was the home's most extravagant item.
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder
  • The centerpiece of the master bedroom is the portrait of Martha Bulloch Roosevelt that hangs just above the fireplace's mantel. She was the mother to four children -- Anna, Teddy, Elliott and Corinne. She was often referred to by her nickname,
    Photo Credit: Samantha Wieder

The brownstone located at 28 E. 20th St. doesn’t appear to be much different from other NYC brownstones upon first glance. But this three-story home in Manhattan’s Flatiron District is chock-full of anecdotes and fun facts about the early life of the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

Roosevelt was the only president to claim NYC as his birthplace. While the home itself has been restored, the physical location has remained the same.

Young Teddy’s life started on Oct. 27, 1858, when his mother, Martha “Mittie” Bulloch Roosevelt, gave birth to the 8 pound, 8 ounce baby at 7:35 p.m.

We recently took a tour of Teddy Roosevelt’s birthplace, a National Park Service site. His childhood home is free to tour Tuesdays through Saturdays, on the hour beginning at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a noon break.

Tours are given on a first-come, first-served basis and are kept to 18 visitors per group. Guests are allowed within the rooms of the home, making for an intimate learning experience.

In honor of Roosevelt’s upcoming 158th birthday, the park service is hosting a free celebration on Oct. 29, when 20th Street will be closed.

For more information on guided tours at Theodore Roosevelt’s birthplace, visit www.nps.gov/thrb.

Before you go, take a peek inside the home where Roosevelt’s life began. We learned the following from tour guide Daniel Prebutt.

About the Author

More from Real Estate

More from around NYC