**National Park Service** News Release Contact Charles Markis

[For Immediate Release September, 26, 2008 516-922-4788]{.smallcaps}

**Sagamore Hill Celebrates Theodore Roosevelt's 150^th^ Birthday**

The Sesquicentennial, the 150^th^ birthday of Theodore Roosevelt, will
be celebrated at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (NHS), home of the
26^th^ US president, beginning the last weekend in October with special
festivities and events. Admission to the site and home is free for all
three days.

On **Saturday, October 25** visitors may tour the home of the 26^th^
President, visit the museum and shop for special sesquicentennial
souvenirs available at the gift store. At 1:00PM there will be a 150^th^
Anniversary Parade in the Town of Oyster Bay to mark Theodore
Roosevelt's birth.

**On Sunday, October 26^th^** Sagamore Hill NHS hosts a traditional
***Family Festival*** from 11am to 5pm at the site, rain or shine. The
activities will include entertainment for children, games and crafts,
demonstrations and exhibits, music, an Author's tent, pony rides, food
vendors and more.

**Sunday's events will include: Music and Entertainment:** Jonathan
Kruk, popular story teller, and Rich Bala, folksinger will perform.
Local Maestro Steve Walker will lead the Sagamore Hill Band in
selections of music from the days of TR including John Philip Sousa and
others. Local folk favorite Jessica Semmins and Company will play
traditional Irish music.

**Demonstrations** will include the Paumanock Driving Club and their
horses and carriages, ropesmiths, and local partners with a variety of
conservation themed exhibits; the **Theodore Roosevelt Audubon
Sanctuary** will present their ever popular **Birds of Prey**
demonstration. The **Author's Tent** will feature noted authors and
writers speaking about their research on Theodore Roosevelt. **James
Foote, portraying Theodore Roosevelt,** will be present all day. There
will be **food vendors** available or you may bring your own picnic.
Visitors will be provided opportunity to tour the Roosevelt home and to
view the exhibits at the Museum in Old Orchard as well as walk the
grounds and Nature Trail. The visitor center gift shop will be selling
special, limited edition 150^th^ commemorative items.

**On Monday, October 27^th^,** the actual birthdate of Theodore
Roosevelt, the annual wreath laying ceremony will take place at 10AM at
Young's Cemetery, followed by ceremonies at Sagamore Hill.

At Sagamore Hill the **United States Navy Band** will perform and there
will be a special ceremony to raise the historic thirty-two star US flag
to mark the beginning of a year-long observance celebrating the life and
accomplishments of our 26^th^ President. (TR was born under a thirty-two
star flag.) In addition the United States Postal Service will set up a
special cancellation station at the site with a commemorative 150^th^
cancellation stamp and our special 150^th^ cachet (available for
purchase at our store). **James Foote, portraying Theodore Roosevelt,**
will be present all day. Visitors will be given the opportunity to tour
the Roosevelt Home and Old Orchard Museum. Birthday cake will be served.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend these exciting events.
Watch the Sagamore Hill website for our schedule of specific times for
this celebration at [www.nps.gov/sahi](http://www.nps.gov/sahi), or call
516-922-4788 for more information.

**A National Year-Long Initiative to be Launched for the 150^th^
Celebration**

In addition to the events at Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, there will
also be observances at **Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National
Historic** **Site** in NYC, and the other National Park units directly
connected to TR. These include **Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural NHS** in
Buffalo, NY, **Theodore Roosevelt National Park** in North Dakota,
**Mount Rushmore National Memorial** in South Dakota, **Theodore
Roosevelt Island** in Washington, DC.

Other units of the National Park System, including the Parks TR created
and the eighteen National Monuments he created, as well as units of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge founded by TR in 1903, and the USDA Forest
Service, founded by TR in 1905 will observe the year-long celebration.

**Theodore Roosevelt Sesquicentennial Website Launched**

A special Theodore Roosevelt Sesquicentennial Website is being developed
by the National Park Service will be launched on Oct. 27. This website
will include links to the participating organizations which will list
the special events and observances that are planned across the nation.

**Detailed Schedule of Events for the 150^th^ Week End at Sagamore
Hill**

**Saturday, October 25**

**Sagamore Hill is open from 10 to 4.** Visitors may tour the
President's home, view the exhibits at Old Orchard, hike the Nature
Trail, walk the grounds, picnic, etc.

5.  **Visit the gift shop at Sagamore Hill** to purchase special 150^th^
    Commemorative items.

1PM in the Town of Oyster Bay view the **Sesquicentennial Parade**

**Sunday, October 26, 2008 Sesquicentennial Family Festival
11AM-5:00PM**

**In the Tent: The following performers may be seen:**

11AM **Traditional Irish music- Jessica Semmins and Company**

12PM **Theodore Roosevelt Audubon Sanctuary** presents **Birds of Prey**
Demonstration

1PM **Jonathan Kruk & Rich Bala (Hudson River Ramblers)**

2PM **The Sagamore Hill Band, with Steve Walker, Bandmaster** performing
music of TR's Day

3PM **Rich Bala, folk singer.**

Sagamore Hill is the home of Theodore Roosevelt, 26^th^ President of the
United States. The grounds are open year round from dawn to dusk.
Building hours are Wednesday through Sunday and tours are offered from
10-4; admission is \$5 for adults; 15 and under, free. For more
information see our website at
[www.nps.gov/sahi](http://www.nps.gov/sahi) or call (516) 922-4788.

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