Your TR Source
On September 14, 1901, Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office as the 26th president of the United States in Buffalo, New York, at the home of Ansley Wilcox. Roosevelt’s predecessor, William McKinley, had been shot by an assassin at the Pan-American Exposition on September 6, dying at 2:15 a.m. on September 14. Wilcox’s home is now the site of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site.
Currently, a collection of Buffalo newspapers regarding the shooting of President McKinley from September 7 to 25, 1901, as well as the scrapbook kept by Ansley Wilcox following the assassination attempt to Roosevelt’s inauguration in his library are available from the Inaugural’s collections.
Items from the Inaugural site’s collections were digitized and cataloged on-site and then transferred to the Theodore Roosevelt Center for inclusion in the digital library. As TR Center staff received materials from the Inaugural, the items were added to the digital library. See below to view items from this collection.
Digitization of items at the National Park sites was possible thanks to National Park Service Centennial Challenge Funding in partnership with Dickinson State University.
First day cover for a red 6-cent stamp featuring a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. Postmarked New York, New York, on November 18, 1955. Along the left side of the envelope is a portrait of Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1955-11-18
First day cover for a red 6-cent stamp featuring a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. Postmarked New York, New York, on November 18, 1955. Along the left side of the envelope is a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. Surrounding the portrait is a red wreath with an eagle perched at the top and rays emanating from the wreath.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1955-11-18
First day cover for a red 6-cent stamp featuring a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. Postmarked New York, New York, on November 18, 1955. Along the left side of the envelope is a blue illustrated portrait of Roosevelt surrounded by red stars. Beneath the portrait is a shield with a blue top and a lower section with white and red stripes. “Theodore Roosevelt 26th President of the United States” is displayed on the shield.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1955-11-18
First day cover for a red 6-cent stamp featuring a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. Postmarked New York, New York, on November 18, 1955. Along the left side of the envelope is an illustration of a man riding horseback with hills in the background.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1955-11-18
First day cover for a blue 30-cent stamp featuring a profile portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. Postmarked Washington, D.C., on December 8, 1938. On the left side of the envelope is a yellow and black illustration of Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1938-12-08
First day cover for a 3-cent American postage stamp commemorating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal. The stamp is shades of purple and features the image of a steam ship sailing through the canal. The ship is flanked on the left by a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt and on the right by a portrait of George W. Goethals. At the top of the left side of the envelope is a yellow map of the path of the Panama Canal and at the bottom is an illustration of a steam ship sailing through the canal.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1939-08-15
First day cover for a 3-cent American postage stamp commemorating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal. The stamp is shades of purple and features the image of a steam ship sailing through the canal. The ship is flanked on the left by a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt and on the right by a portrait of George W. Goethals. At the top left of the envelope is the seal of the Canal Zone and beneath the seal is a portrait of Goethals.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1939-08-15
First day cover with four 26-cent airmail stamps honoring Mount Rushmore. The stamps feature a drawing of Mount Rushmore with blue sky and a red strip at the bottom with “USA” printed on it in white. Along the left side of the envelope is a black and white illustration of Mount Rushmore with a plane flying above the monument.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1974-01-02
Envelope featuring a black and white photograph of Quentin Roosevelt in uniform on the left side. In the center of the envelope is a circular stamp with an image of Theodore Roosevelt in the center with two rings around it. On the inner ring is printed “Memorial Day Celebration Home of Theodore Roosevelt” and on the outer ring is “Quentin Roosevelt Post No. 4 American Legion.”
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1929-05-30
First day cover for a 4-cent forest conservation stamp. The stamp is green, brown, and yellow with a forest scene featuring two deer. Beneath the postmark is an image of Smokey the Bear with the message “Keep America Green.” Along the left side of the envelope is an illustration of a forest with a black and white portrait of Theodore Roosevelt labeled “An early forest conservationist.”
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1958-10-27
Postcard featuring a colored image of Theodore Roosevelt’s grave with the headstone, flowers, and small American flag. Above the picture is identified. Mildred has arrived safely and is having a “fine time” on the beach.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1924-07-01
Photograph of Theodore Roosevelt, standing at the back of a train in Attica, New York, during his gubernatorial campaign.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1898-10-25
Theodore Roosevelt is sending Stephen Leacock an article on Canada’s contributions to the war effort. The Roosevelt family enjoys Leacock’s work.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1917-01-29
Photograph of President Roosevelt leaving the Milburn House on September 14, 1901, and walking towards a horse-drawn carriage. Walking in front of Roosevelt are two men in suits identified as Jacob Groll and A. Weiman. A uniformed policeman stands beside the carriage, and two officers are seated on horseback behind the carriage. Photo is mounted on a gray cardboard.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1901-09-14
Color postcard with image of the Wilcox residence in Buffalo, New York. Mary Stossel is unable to take her lessons so Elsie Westrup can stay home tonight.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1908-10-27
Color postcard with image of the Wilcox house in Buffalo, New York. An oval portrait of Theodore Roosevelt is in the upper left corner. After William McKinley’s death, Roosevelt took the presidential oath of office in the Wilcox house. The sender is having a good time and the weather has been nice. She is planning to visit for Christmas.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1912-11-22
Round celluloid campaign pin with black and white portraits of President McKinley and Governor Roosevelt. Portraits are on a gold background with a red, white, and blue ribbon at the top of the picture.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1900
Black and white photograph of Theodore Roosevelt standing and speaking from a platform at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1907
Sheet music for the song “Roosevelt March” composed by F. Carl Jahn as “A Tribute to the Memory of Col. Theodore Roosevelt.”
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1919
Black and white photograph of Grover Cleveland, President Roosevelt, and David R. Francis at the dedication of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Photo is mounted on dark gray cardboard.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1903-04-30