President Theodore Roosevelt Celebration Brings History Alive in Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino recently announced a daylong celebration on Sunday, October 27, 2024, to honor President Theodore Roosevelt on what would have been his 166^th birthday. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m.at Young’s Cemetery where residents can pay respects at Theodore Roosevelt’s burial site and continue through local historical sites such as Sagamore Hill and Downtown Oyster Bay, concluding with a speech delivered by renowned Theodore Roosevelt Reenactor Joe Wiegand at the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum. The event will also include several augmented reality experiences which can be viewed on the TRAR app.

“We invite all of our residents- young and old- to spend the day in Oyster Bay as we bring history to life and celebrate our Hometown President,” said Supervisor Saladino. “Through the use of augmented reality available on the TRAR app, in addition to the presence of Reenactor Joe Wiegand, we can combine new technology with tradition to create a truly unique experience.”

The full schedule of events is as follows:

• 10:00 a.m. – Young’s Cemetery (134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay) Residents are invited to leave carnations at the burial site of the 26^th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, and his wife Edith Roosevelt.
• 11:00 a.m. – Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center (134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay) Stroll with Reenactor Joe Wiegand through the Sanctuary and learn about the President’s conservation legacy as well as his love of Oyster Bay.
• 12:00 p.m. – Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (20 Sagamore Hill Road, Oyster Bay) Enjoy a speech delivered by Reenactor Joe Wiegand at ‘The Summer White House’ as he commemorates the 125^th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt being elected Governor of the State of New York.
• 1:00 p.m. – Downtown Oyster Bay Visit Historic Oyster Bay’s Restaurants & Shops as Reenactor Joe Wiegand sits down for “Lunch with the Old Lion” at Teddy’s Bully Bar (46 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay).
•  2:00 p.m. – Theodore’s Books (17 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay) to host Presidential Historian & Author Edward O’Keefe, who will sign copies of The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt. Co-sponsored by the Gold Coast Book Fair.
• 3:00 p.m. – Oyster Bay Railroad Museum (1 Railroad Avenue, Oyster Bay) Attend the farewell speech by Reenactor Joe Wiegand.

“We’re pleased to partner with several organizations, all of which love Oyster Bay and Theodore Roosevelt, to make this day so special,” said Town Clerk Richard LaMarca. “Thank you to The Friends of Sagamore Hill, the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, the Oyster Bay East Norwich Chamber of Commerce, the National Park Service, and the TRAR app, as we welcome home our most famous resident, President Theodore Roosevelt, for his 166^th birthday.”

For more information, please visit www.oysterbaytown.com or call (516) 624-6380.