National Park Service Theodore Roosevelt Island U.S. Department of the Interior 

George Washington Memorial Parkway 

A Memorial to a ... 

Above: A view of Washington, DC 

and Theodore Roosevelt Island 

taken from above the George 

Washington Memorial Parkway 

in 1972 by Mary E. Curry 

Right: President Roosevelt (left) with 

famous naturalist John Muir at 

Yosemite National Park in 1903 

Statue of Theodore Roosevelt, 

Theodore Roosevelt Island, 

Washington, DC c.1967 

This wooded island is a tribute to the vision of 

our 26th President. His passion for the earth's 

natural places and foresight in planning for their 

preservation contributed to the conservation legacy 

we treasure today. 

Born on October 27, 1858, in New York City, 

Roosevelt overcame health challenges of asthma 

and poor eyesight, and focused his attention on the 

outdoor world. He enjoyed collecting live animals 

and hunting "specimens" to study. As a youngste r, 

he established his own natural history museum with 

items gathered from his neighborhood and family 

travels. By the time of his presidency, he was a 

well-known naturalist and outdoorsman. This 

background prepared him for many of the challenges 

of his administration. 

As President, Roosevelt rose to a conservation 

crisis. Bison, beaver, and shore birds were fast 

disappearing, while other species had become 

extinct. Approximately four-fifths of the nation's 

prime forests had been cut to make way for farms 

and provide building materials and fuel. Years of 

continuous farming had compromised soil fertility. 

His leadership changed the public's perception that 

America's natural resources were inexhaustible. 

Under Roosevelt's leadership, the Federal 

Government expanded its role in conserving our 

nation's resources: 

__._..'-'-Roosevck.signed.the-Antiquities.Acttlnto law 

in 1906. This law has been used to protect 

magnificent cliff dwellings, ruins and missions 

discovered on public lands in the southwestern 

United States. 

• Roosevelt provided public protection for nearly 

230 million acres of land in the United States 

during his tenure in office. He created 18 national 

monuments 5 national parks, 150 national forests, 

51 Federal bird reservations, and 4 national game 

reserves. The monuments included Devils Tower, 

Lassen Volcanic, Muir Woods, and the Grand 

Canyon (before it became a national park). 

• He established the United States Forest Service, 

a Federal land management agency. 

In the world of conservation, there are numerous 

tributes to Roosevelt. A subspecies of elk, which 

was discovered in Olympic National Park, was 

renamed Cervus roosevelti. In Brazil, his explorations 

of the River of Doubt led to its renaming as 

"Rio Roosevelt," as a tribute to his role in expanding 

knowledge of wetlands and rainforests. These 

accolades seem fitting for a President who was 

once late for a Cabinet meeting because he was 

watching birds. 

Roosevelt's love of animals led to the creation of 

one of his most famous namesakes. Once, while 

on a hunting trip, his aides tied up an old bear for 

him to kjll. His refusalto sh._Q9t the defen~less 

animal prompted a newspaper to draw a cartoon. 

The cartoon, published nationwide, inspired the 

creation of the "Teddy Bear," one of America's 

most beloved toys. 

Additional Roosevelt Presidential legacies include: 

• Support for women's and civil rights 

• Driving force behind construction of the 

Panama Canal 

• Negotiated an end to the Russo-Japanese War 

• First American to win the Nobel Peace Prize 

• Coined the term "White House" 
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, c. 1967 

The Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Association (TRMA) purchased this island, as well as adjacent Little Island (for a total of 88.5 acres), in 1932. 

Later the same year, TRMA deeded the land to the Federal Government as a gift in memory of our 26th President to be maintained "as a natural 

park for the recreation and enjoyment of the public." TRMA retained responsibility for development of the memorial and hired Olmsted 

Brothers, a landscape architecture firm. Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., and the Civilian Conservation Corps created what has become the mature 

woodland sanctuary you see today. Years later, Architect Eric Gugler designed the memorial and Sculptor Paul Manship created the central 

statue. A dedication ceremony took place in October 1967. 

The island has a diverse history. Evidence shows that Native Americans used the island as a seasonal fishing village. The site was named 

"My Lord's Island" when King Charles I granted it to Lord Baltimore. One owner, a sea captain, called it "Barbadoes" after his childhood home. 

In the 1790s,John Mason, son of 

George Mason IV (author of the 

Virginia Bill of Rights), built a brick 

mansion and cultivated gardens on the 

island. For years afterward, the island 

was a picnic resort. During the Civil 

War, the site served as a training area 

for the Union Army, including the 

"First 1:J.S. Color~d Troops:' 

Today, the National Park Service 

protects the island, while providing 

for public enjoyment. While you 

are here, savor the sounds of the 

outdoors as you travel through 

marsh, swamp and forest. Or, ponder 

the quotes on the granite tablets in 

Memorial Plaza. 

Keep pets leashed. 

• Respect wildlife by not harassing 

animals. 

• Beware of poison ivy, stinging 

nettles, and ticks. 

• Dispose of litter in trash cans. 

For more information contact: 

George Washington 

Memorial Parkway 

c/o Turkey Run Park, 

Virginia District Ranger 

McLean, VA 22101 

703-289-2500 

www.nps.gov/gwmp 

············· Dirt Trails (j Parking Lot 

IJ Drinking Fountains --- Boardwalk 

&Bl Restrooms 

O 200 400 600 800 1000 Feet 

~ - - ............ O 100 200 300 Meters 

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA 

08/04