New England 2018 Day 1

September 28

Boyhood Home of  President Donald Trump, Queens, New York  

85-15 Wareham Place, Jamaica (Queens), New York
This house and neighborhood is where President Donald Trump, our 45th president,  grew up. I attended his inauguration on January 20, 2017,  the only presidential inauguration I have ever attended.

Home and Grave of President Theodore Roosevelt, “Sagamore Hill”, Oyster Bay, New York

Sagamore Hill

This house is the home of my favorite President, Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th president. He built this house in 1884, and died in this house January 6, 1919. He hosted a number of world leaders here. Unfortunately no photography is allowed inside, but the inside is incredible to see. There are many hunting trophies and animal skin rugs. There are two 1000-pound elephant tusks, a cape buffalo, bearskins, a polar bear skin rug, leopard skins, deer, moose, buffalo and so many more. Seeing it is so much more than describing it! Admiral Robert Perry gave Roosevelt the polar bear upon returning from discovering the North Pole!

In this house President Roosevelt negotiated with the Russians and the Japanese in 1905 to bring the Russo-Japanese War to an end, although the treaty was officially signed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. As a result, Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first American to win a Nobel Prize in any category.

I have been reading about and studying about Theodore Roosevelt since 4th grade -1968 – and now I been able to visit his house! This is very special for me.

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Sagamore Hill
A biography of Roosevelt is titled “Mornings on Horseback”.
This is where he enjoyed riding his horses.
Notice the right side of the porch. The railing is missing. Teddy didn’t want the railing there, so he could stand there and address the many crowds that used to gather to hear him speak…
…like this…
…or this!
Sitting on the same porch that Edith Roosevelt used to sit on looking out at Oyster Bay.
Sitting on the same porch as Teddy Roosevelt used to sit on looking out at Oyster Bay.
This is Oyster Bay.
This picture does not come close to showing how beautiful Oyster Bay really is.
The Roosevelt family motto:
In Latin: Qui plantavit curabit
Translates to: He who plants, preserves.
Although I could not take pictures inside the house, these horns are on the outside of the house.
Bust of Theodore Roosevelt in the museum next door to the house.
This cannon was captured in Cuba during the Spanish-American War 1898.
Roosevelt was once a cattle rancher in Dakota Territory (in what is now North Dakota).
Theodore Roosevelt’s idea of what it means to be an American.
This windmill on the grounds of Sagamore Hill has a story.
In Theodore Roosevelt’s words.
An effective way to climb over a fence.
The grave of Theodore and Edith Roosevelt.
Roosevelt was our 26th President, becoming president upon the assassination of President William McKinley. At 42 years old, he was the youngest man ever to be president. He was president from 1901-1909.

Theodore Roosevelt was born in October 1858, and died at 60 years old. During his life, he overcame asthma, was a rancher, police commissioner, fought the corrupt Tammany Hall political machine, was assistant secretary of the navy, governor of New York, Vice President of the United States, President of the United States, Safari adventurer and hunter  (to Africa and South America). As president he was involved in so many issues, that I can’t really post them here. I am glad to explain it in person if you are ever interested.

Leaving Long Island, we caught this view of New York City.

Statue of Jacob Leisler, New Rochelle, New York

Who??? The subject of my primary research project in college was Leisler’s Rebellion. In 1688 the government in London was in chaos due to several issues. Because of this, Jacob Leisler assumed control of the government of the colony of New York. He used tough actions, including military, to maintain control of the colony as self-appointed Governor of the colony. He held control from 1689-1691, and after the “Glorious Revolution” in England, which brought King William and Queen Mary (yes, THAT William and Mary) to the throne of England, he was convicted and hanged in what was ultimately determined to be a miscarriage of justice.

Statue of Jacob Leisler in New Rochelle, New York
Leisler looked like one of the Three Musketeers!
One block from the Leisler statue is the last home that Revolutionary pamphleteer Thomas Paine owned in America before he left America to join the French Revolution. His most well-known work was “Common Sense.”
Thomas Paine Monument in New Rochelle, New York

Birthplace of President George W. Bush, New Haven, Connecticut

President George W. Bush was born here in 1946, at Yale New Haven Hospital. President Bush was our 43rd president, serving from 2001-2009.

Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

Phelps Gate at Yale University
Above the gate, in Latin: “Lux et veritas”
Translates to “Truth and light”
Statue of Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale on the grounds of Yale University.
He is known for his last words before the British executed him:
“I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”
He was a Yale graduate in the class of 1773.
The famed, classic Harkness Tower at Yale University
The Harkness Tower gate.
Above the arch are the words:
“For God, for Country, and for Yale”

Dinner in Hartford, Connecticut

So we ate dinner at Chowder Pot in Hartford.
Broiled shrimp and scallops in lemon butter sauce.
The verdict: Best shrimp she ever ate!
And of course, prime rib for me.
Verdict: Excellent! Very flavorful and tender.
Self-explanatory.

One thought on “New England 2018 Day 1”

  1. Thanks for sharing your journey with us so far. Special points with me for the Dolphin selfie at y’all ‘s dinner last night. REALLY COOL! Have safe travels and continue your updates!

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