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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.
Animals march in front of Theodore Roosevelt in a long line. A bear holds a sign that reads “Let us alone.” Roosevelt appears shocked and is dropping his rifle.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
Unknown
A toymaker works in a room full of toys, each depicting a specific political figure.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1904
Half-page advertisement for color portraits of William McKinley and President Roosevelt from the Puck Pictorial Department.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1901
Advertisement for color portraits of William McKinley and President Roosevelt from the Puck Pictorial Department.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1901
Postal Life Insurance Company advertisement featuring a quote from Theodore Roosevelt promoting life insurance.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1930-08
Full color cartoon with a large turkey in the middle. Interspersed on and around the turkey are cartoons about world and national politics, each using a turkey or a reference to a turkey. In the top center is Theodore Roosevelt riding a turkey with a sword and “Popularity” sash.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1903-11
Black and white cartoon of Theodore Roosevelt putting on a hat piled with armaments.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1907-03-20
Full color cartoon of Puck hanging two portraits for the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees. New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes is being placed in the Republican position and Minnesota Governor John Albert Johnson is being placed in the Democrat position. On the floor are other portraits, including one of Secretary of War William H. Taft.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1908-01-08
In the first two panels, Theodore Roosevelt is depicted as a young child in a dress and is crying. His nurse is standing holding a ball and then a jumping-jack. In the last panel, the nurse is holding a big stick and Theodore Roosevelt is smiling with his arms outstretched.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1907-05-15
A siren wearing a scarf labeled “Get Rich Quick” sits on a rock ledge labeled “Margin Gambling” and plays a lyre labeled “Stock Market” with strings labeled “Erie, Union Pacific, Northern Pacific, U.S. Steel, Amal. Copper, American Ice, Brooklyn R.T., Reading, [and] Inter. Met.” On rocks below is a wrecked ship labeled “Exploited Bank” and on nearby rocks are the bodies of victims.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1908-02-19
Theodore Roosevelt, dressed as a Rough Rider, blows away a tiny man labeled “Little Boss” while holding a club labeled “Direct Nominations.”
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1910
Advertisement for a neutral number edition of Life featuring a black ink caricature drawing of Theodore Roosevelt in a suit and hat walking briskly.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1915-06-15
Illustration of President Roosevelt toasting Prince Heinrich and German guests at a state dinner on February 24, 1902, in the White House’s East Room.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1902-03-15
Leslie’s Weekly centerfold with full-page, black and white photograph of Colonel Roosevelt in his Rough Rider uniform.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1898
Print with oval portraits of President McKinley and Vice President Roosevelt. The portraits are surrounded by a decorative design featuring an eagle, shield, and fasces.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1900
Photograph of President Roosevelt with black ink portraits of his eight Cabinet members. On the second page are five black and white photographs of William McKinley’s casket traveling from the Milburn residence to the city hall of Buffalo, New York.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1901
Color postcard of the interior of the Kathryn Lawrence dining room.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1937-1959
Round, gold-colored celluloid button from the 1900 Republican presidential campaign with black and white portraits of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt with a red, white, and blue ribbon.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1900
Wood figurine of Theodore Roosevelt wearing a Rough Rider uniform and standing on a short platform with “Roosevelt” engraved on the front.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1941
Series of photographs from a special edition of Mail and Express about William McKinley’s death, his funeral, and President Roosevelt’s succession to the presidency.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1901-09-25