Spring/Summer 2011

At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo, New York, was in its heyday as host to the majestic 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The fanfare was cut short when President William McKinley was assassinated, making Teddy Roosevelt the new head of state. Roosevelt was sworn in at the beautiful home of his friend Ansley Wilcox, a Victorian mansion located in Buffalo’s Allentown district.

Today, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site has been returned to its former glory. Before your tour begins, stop at the Pan-Am Exposition exhibit, featuring artifacts and photos from the historic event. The Roosevelt tour starts in the dining room, where Wilcox received the nation’s 26th president on inauguration day. Next, visit the Issues Theater, opened in 2009 following a major renovation of the site. In this room, you’ll hear Roosevelt’s thoughts on big business, foreign policy and other important topics.

The tour continues in the library — where Roosevelt was sworn in as commander in chief — and then moves next door to Roosevelt’s impromptu office, the place where he wrote his first proclamation as president. The first draft of the proclamation was found in the trash, and is now housed at the Erie County Historical Society, a short drive from the Wilcox Mansion.

Tours end upstairs at a final interactive exhibit, presenting Roosevelt’s presidency in full. Here, visitors enjoy snapping photos in the “Oval Office” and choosing which policies from Roosevelt’s day to either approve or veto — a fitting end to a presidential afternoon.

- State - New York

- Type - Historic Tours

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