Spring

William Emlen Roosevelt is glad that Archibald B. Roosevelt is recovering and understands the anxiety President Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt suffer. He wants to visit Washington, D.C., to talk about his dispute with a treasury official and the Harriman incident. Christine Roosevelt is nervous about the idea of William staying where a person has diphtheria, so he may sleep at his in-laws to calm her. He visited Russell in the hospital. The superintendent of Roosevelt Hospital is dying. William hoped that spring was arriving, but a recent snow storm crushed his hopes of riding.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-11

Photograph of the Cottonwood Campground drainage area construction site flooded with water from spring thaw, standing nearby are unidentified park staff in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1967-03-01

Photograph of the Little Missouri River, during a spring thaw, with ice visible in the water near the old Roosevelt bridge. Photograph is part of a three-binder set of pictures taken by Chandler D. Fairbank, Civilian Conservation Corps North Unit foreman at the Roosevelt Recreation Demonstration Area, taken between 1936 and 1937.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1936-1937

President Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit about his thoughts on the upcoming Republican National Convention. He is sure they can get Secretary of War Taft nominated but Roosevelt does worry about a “stampede” for himself. He encloses letters he wrote to be read at the Convention. Roosevelt also writes about spring in Washington, D.C., his thoughts on the guns to take on the African hunting trip, and what to do with Archie’s schooling at Groton.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1908-06-06

President Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit and describes the cold spring in Washington. He mentions riding with Edith and Ted and hopes Archie can catch up with his schoolwork and attend Groton the next year. He closes with a story about Quentin jumping the horse Roswell.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1907-04-22

President Roosevelt writes to his Kermit and says people have been asking his to make a speech on the railroad situation, but he has said all he wants to say. Roosevelt compliments Kermit on learning to jump on a horse, gives updates on the family, and describes the spring scenery.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1907-03-31

A tall, thin old man wearing a top hat labeled “Father” serves as the maypole around which several characters typically featured in Puck cartoons are dancing.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The Maypole in cartoonist Ehrhart’s drawing is the seasonal theme of every Spring commemoration number of Puck: not May 1’s May Day, the international workers holiday, but the things of spring.

Theodore Roosevelt tells Jonathan Bourne that it would be a pleasure to see him in the spring.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-04-10

President Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit, telling him about the pleasant weather that Washington, D.C., has had recently. He also mentions that he thinks that they should take a good camera with them when they go to Africa. Roosevelt has been keeping a close eye on the Chicago Convention, and it appears that Secretary of War William H. Taft will be nominated as the Republican presidential candidate. In a handwritten postscript Roosevelt remarks on some birds that he has seen around the White House recently.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-13

President Roosevelt encloses several letters for his son Kermit regarding their upcoming trip to Africa. Roosevelt discusses the guns that the two of them should bring, and tells Kermit that it is time to discuss when they should make the trip. He also includes a letter from Seth Bullock about the upcoming Republican National Convention. Roosevelt believes that Secretary of War William H. Taft can be nominated on the first ballot. Additionally, Roosevelt has heard from Endicott Peabody, the Rector of Groton school, and has decided that the best course of action regarding Archibald Roosevelt’s education is to hold him back a year.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-06

President Roosevelt is pleased that his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles has joined the Grange. He was also interested in her letter, and sends his regards to Judge Marcus H. Holcomb. He is unsure what to do about Representative George L. Lilley, and is not sure he trusts him. Roosevelt wishes that he could be in Farmington, Connecticut, with his sister, as he is sure it is beautiful this spring. He also reflects on the end of the session of Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-31

President Roosevelt tells his son Kermit how grateful he is for the beautiful spring he is experiencing. Roosevelt also tells Kermit that he is worried about Archibald’s academic performance at Groton, but does not want him dropped into another form. Finally, Roosevelt reflects on his legislative accomplishments as the current session of Congress closes, and laments the “pointless and stupid filibuster” by Senator Robert M. La Follette. Roosevelt has some maps of the part of Africa he plans for them to travel to, and will try to finalize his plans with Kermit when he sees him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-30

President Roosevelt writes to his son, Kermit Roosevelt, about life at the White House. With the coming of spring, birds and flowers are returning, and Roosevelt and his wife, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, are able to go riding in the afternoon. The social season is over, which Roosevelt is grateful for, as it allows him to have free time when he is not working. He anticipates some struggles with Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon over matters in Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-08

President Roosevelt encloses a letter for his son, Kermit Roosevelt. They have the choice of fishing in Wisconsin or duck and chicken shooting in Minnesota or Dakota. Roosevelt describes the spring weather and scenery on a ride. He is dealing with friends pressuring him to run for a third term, which he does not want to do. Roosevelt thinks the Republican Party will be able to nominate Secretary of War William H. Taft, but it is too early to call since the election is so far off. He plays tennis with J. J. Jusserand and others on days that he does not ride horses.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-15

President Roosevelt reports to Kermit Roosevelt that his week has been busy yet uneventful, but he wishes he had more time to exercise. He almost feels ashamed for leaving detailed work to the department heads, but it is the only way he has time to “develop the really big policies.” It was a beautiful, “real spring” day.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-04

President Roosevelt describes the late, cold spring in Washington D. C. and its effect on the flowers. He gives updates on the family’s activities. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt has started riding with him. Theodore “Ted” Roosevelt visited recently. Archibald “Archie” Roosevelt is slowly recovering and hopefully will be prepared to attend Groton School in the fall. Quentin is “bouncy and merry.” Roosevelt’s horse, Roswell, recently bruised his knee while jumping.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-22

President Roosevelt updates his son Kermit Roosevelt on some of the goings-on of the family, and reports that Kermit’s brother Ted’s eye surgery went well. The egg-rolling at the White House on Easter Monday was great fun for the children, and the white house grounds are looking nice in spring. Roosevelt relates a humorous story involving Kermit’s younger brother Quentin Roosevelt, who “is a funny small person if ever there was one.” Roosevelt is trying to send aid to California, still reeling after a recent earthquake, and has been continuing his fight for a rate bill and the Panama Canal issue.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-22

President Roosevelt tells his son Kermit Roosevelt that he is glad there is a break in his school term so he will be able to attend his sister Alice Roosevelt’s wedding in February. He does not have much to report to Kermit, but believes that the next two months will be hard. Extra social duties along with his regular work will make it difficult for him to get regular exercise, as it is too dark to exercise in the afternoon. However, he has enjoyed recent mild weather by taking rides with Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Secretary of State Elihu Root, and Secretary of War William H. Taft. He regrets to inform Kermit that Keating, a man he put in the secret service, “suddenly went on a spree” and died of heart failure.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-08

President Roosevelt greets the community. He compares the spring weather in Wisconsin to that in the Dakota-Montana border area and his time following the cattle trains.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-04-03

President Roosevelt remarks on the spring weather in Wisconsin and compares it to his time in the Dakota area.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-04-03