Call Number: MSS.R6671 Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Exhibitions, 1899-1984 (bulk 1899-1970) American Museum of Natural History Special Collections-Library Central Park West at 79th Street New York, NY 10024
COLLECTION INFORMATION Repository: American Museum of Natural History, Special Collections-Library Central Park West at 79th Street New York, NY 10024 Collection: Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Exhibitions Creator: American Museum of Natural History Inclusive Dates: 1899-1984 Bulk Dates: 1899-1970 Call Numbers: MSS.R6671 Extent: 4 linear feet (7 boxes, including two oversized). Physical Description: Collection consists of original documents, including those that are handwritten and/or signed by Roosevelt and others. Also, included are carbon copied documents, photocopied documents, magazine and newspaper clippings, invitations, event programs, pamphlets, brochures, books, blueprints, artwork, museum display materials, postcards, telegrams, receipts, photographs and negatives, and one LP record. A majority of the photographs from Memorial and Exhibition boxes are stored within folders and have rarely been placed in plastic sleeves. Condition: Some documents, such as the original correspondence are extremely fragile, however they have been properly stored. A majority of the documents are in fairly good condition. Prepared by/date: Schuyler Volz, November, 2011-January, 2012 Revised by/date:
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), the 26th President of the U.S. (1901-1909), was a passionate conservationist and supporter of the American Museum of Natural History. Not only was his father was a founding member of the museum, but Roosevelt himself undertook numerous collecting expeditions on its behalf. Despite being born in the heart of New York City, he was an ardent naturalist who enjoyed hunting, taxidermy and the study of biology from a young age. These interests fueled his friendships with notable museum employees Frank M. Chapman and Henry Fairfield Osborn, and were his motivation for the creation of the National Parks system during his presidency as well. The New York State Roosevelt Memorial Hall, including a permanent exhibition on his life, opened at the museum in 1936. HISTORICAL NOTE Immediately following the death of Theodore Roosevelt on January 6, 1919, prominent editorials in major newspapers (New York Times, and New York World) advocated for the creation of a memorial connected to the museum. AMNH president Henry Fairfield Osborn, was also a strong supporter of such an idea and the following year the New York State legislature, along with Governor Alfred E. Smith, created a six-member commission, with Osborn as the chairman, to investigate and report a plan for a memorial which would for all time stand as a visible expression of recognition of the series of one who has been most active in the welfare and development of our State and Nation. On May 5, 1924, thanks to the commission s tireless efforts, the legislature passed an act providing for the construction of a free and public education building as a memorial to Theodore Roosevelt on a site adjacent to the museum. It appropriated $2.5 million for the project and transferred responsibility for the project to a board of trustees who were soon named the New York State Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, and once again Osborn was the chairman. On June 2, 1925 the board selected architect John Russell Pope, a New Yorker and graduate of Columbia University, to design the memorial. While Pope s plans, specifications, and model of the memorial building were completed by mid-july 1926, it was another three years before the project was able to get underway due to the downturn of the national economy. In a meeting with Governor Franklin Roosevelt in January of 1929, Osborn was able to secure a second round of funds ($3.5 million) that were needed in order to address new architectural issues of the design related to the creation of the Central Park West subway line. During this same time period, Osborn also procured funds ($3.4 million) from the City of New York as well. The work of excavation began nine months later, on October 16, 1929, when museum secretary George N. Pinder officially broke ground. On October 27, 1931, the cornerstone was laid by Governor Roosevelt in a celebration marking what would have been Theodore Roosevelt s 73 rd birthday. Exactly five years later, the building was officially dedicated in a ceremony attended by President Roosevelt, New York State Governor Herbert Lehman, and New York City Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia. Unfortunately, Osborn had died less than a year before the celebration, but his enthusiastic support for the memorial and the museum was recognized during the event. The Bronze equestrian statue in front of the memorial is the work of James Earle Fraser, who received the commission at about the same time as Pope was selected as the architect. A native of Minnesota and a protégé of Angustus Saint Gaudens, Fraser was best known at the time as the
designer of the Buffalo nickel. Theodore Roosevelt s widow unveiled the statue in a ceremony on October 27, 1940. In 1953 the museum opened a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Theodore Roosevelt s life. The exhibit specifically showcased his passionate interest in natural history and his life-long commitment to the museum. Finally, five years later in 1958, the museum held another celebration, this time in honor of the centennial anniversary of Roosevelt s birth. SCOPE AND CONTENT This collection contains a wide range of materials mostly concerned with various memorials and exhibitions celebrating the life of Theodore Roosevelt, and in particular, his close relationship with the American Museum of Natural History. Materials include; typed, handwritten and carbon copies of correspondence, photographs, negatives, pamphlets, invitations, programs, books, items and texts from the various exhibitions, blueprints, an LP record, artwork (drawings, etchings), postcards, magazines, newspapers and clippings, press releases, receipts, and various museum documents. Box #1- This box contains correspondence and various documents from 1954-1965 mostly related to the organization of exhibitions celebrating Roosevelt. The correspondence is primarily concerned with requests to different organizations and people (including TR s daughter Ethel Derby) for TR related material and memorabilia for exhibition at the museum. Also included are a number of newspaper and magazine articles covering different TR memorials, openings, and celebrations at the museum, as well as various museum souvenirs, pamphlets and documents. Box #2- This box contains four folders of correspondence and eighteen folders related to exhibitions. The first folder is a collection of letters received by the museum from the public in regards to Roosevelt, usually concerning questions about authenticating TR memorabilia. The following three folders contain typed carbon copies of correspondence between Roosevelt and Frank M. Chapman, Henry Fairfield Osborn, and others. These letters can also be found in other collections (MSS.R6673-R6675). The remaining folders include documents, photos, texts, and notes from museum exhibitions (both permanent and temporary) about Roosevelt. Box #3- This box contains a wide variety of materials related to Roosevelt temporary exhibitions and permanent memorials (equestrian statue). Documents include; correspondence, photos, pamphlets, books and other printed materials, press releases, receipts, and meeting minutes. Box #4- The contents of this box deals with three different themes related to Roosevelt. The first of which are collections of pamphlets and other documents from various parks, memorials, and/or museums from across the United States that are dedicated to, named after, or created by Theodore Roosevelt. The second theme is a collection of assorted photographs and negatives of Roosevelt or things/places connected to his life. The final theme is a collection of museum documents (1960-1981) related to the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund which dispersed funds for research projects relating to wildlife and natural history. Box #5- This box consists of assorted oversized materials including press releases, photographs of Theodore Roosevelt items included in exhibits, and other museum related documents.
Box #6- This box features large items such as books, pamphlets, and printed matter related to Roosevelt memorials, celebrations, and exhibitions. Box #6A- Oversized documents mostly related to the construction of Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park on the grounds of the museum. Included in this box are early sketches and blueprints of the park s design. Also included are various photographs, artwork, and an LP record. RELATED MATERIAL Correspondence (typed carbon copies, photocopies and originals) between Roosevelt and various individuals is available in the AMNH Special Collections. Call number MSS.R6673-R6675. AMNH Special Collections also has photographic collections relating to the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall and its construction. Call numbers PPC.A45.P57 and PPC.A45.V56 ACCESS CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS Requests to use the collection should be made in advance to the Senior Special Collections Librarian, who may be contacted at 212-769-5420 or at speccol@amnh.org PREFERRED CITATION American Museum of Natural History, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Exhibitions, 1899-1984 (bulk 1899-1970). MSS.R6671. PEOPLE AND SUBJECTS Frank M. Chapman: AMNH Ornithologist Henry Fairfield Osborn: AMNH President, 1908-1933 John Russell Pope: Architect, Roosevelt memorial Alfred E. Smith: NY Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt: US President 1933-1945 James Earl Fraser: Sculptor of TR Memorial Statue John Burroughs: Naturalist, friend of TR Robert F. Wagner: NY State Senator, 1927-1949 Herman Hagedorn: TR Friend and Biographer James L. Clark: Taxidermist and Explorer AMNH Waldron DeWitt Miller: Ornithologist AMNH Abbot R. Thayer: Painter of Animals William O Dwyer, NYC Mayor, 1946-1950 Sir George Trevelyan: British Statesman Arthur Lee: 1 st Viscount Lee of Fareham, British diplomat/politician Cornelius Vanderbilt III- Financier Edward Curtis: Photographer Albert Bickmore: Naturalist and founder of AMNH AMNH Exhibition History AMNH Architecture
AMNH Memorabilia Elk Horn Ranch, North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Exhibitions, 1899-1984 (bulk 1899-1970) (MSS.R6671) CONTAINER LIST Box Folder Title 1 1 Correspondence: General. 1954-1957. 1 2 Correspondence: General. 1958. 1 3 Correspondence: General. 1959-1965. 1 4 Correspondence: General disposition of memorabilia. 1949-1960. 1 5 Publications about Theodore Roosevelt. 1922-1978. 1 6 Assorted aspects of Theodore Roosevelt s life and exhibits. 1953-1958. 1 7 Articles about or relating to Roosevelt. 1948-1964. 1 8 Centennial Celebration May 1958: Correspondence. February-June 1957. 1 9 Centennial Celebration May 1958: Correspondence. July 1957-May 1958. 1 10 Centennial Celebration May 1958: Printed matter. May 22-27, 1958. 1 11 Centennial Celebration May 1958: Correspondence. September 1958-1959. 1 12 Centennial Celebration May 1958: Expenses. 1957-1958. 1 13 Centennial Celebration May 1958: Lists Pertaining to Temporary Exhibit. 1 14 Centennial Celebration May 1958: Manhattan Park name change to Theodore Roosevelt Park. 1921-1958. 1 15 Centennial Celebration May 1958: Tributes other than at AMNH. 1957-1959. 1 16 Correspondence: Ethel Derby. 1948-1959. 1 17 Correspondence: Ethel Derby. 1960-1970. 1 18-19 Correspondence: Elk Horn Ranch. 1920s-1959. 1 20 Correspondence: Harvard University. 1948-1969. 2 1 Correspondence: Letters from the public. 1960-1972. 2 2 Correspondence: Theodore Roosevelt to and from Frank Chapman, 1899-1912. 2 3 Correspondence: Theodore Roosevelt to and from Frank Chapman, AMNH. 1913-1918. 2 4 Correspondence: Theodore Roosevelt to and from Henry Fairfield Osborn (includes W.D.W. Miller and Abbot Thayer, Monadnock, NH). 1901-1918. 2 5 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Printed matter. 2 6 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Correspondence. 1950-March 1953. 2 7 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Correspondence. April-May 1953. 2 8 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Correspondence. June-December 1953. 2 9 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, Conservationist.
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Exhibitions, 1899-1984 (bulk 1899-1970) (MSS.R6671) Box Folder Title 2 10 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, The Family. 2 11 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, The Hunter. 2 12 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, Man of Letters. 2 13 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, Naturalist. 2 14 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, Public Servant. 2 15 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, Ranch Life. 2 16 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, Travel, Africa. 2 17 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, Travel, South America 2 18 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Cases, Youth 2 19 Exhibits (permanent): The Life of Theodore Roosevelt est. 1953. Lists. 2 20 Exhibits (temporary): And Then There Were None 1971-1972. Combines Theodore Roosevelt memorabilia and conservation printed matter. 2 21 Exhibits (temporary): And Then There Were None 1971-1972. Combines Theodore Roosevelt memorabilia and conservation printed matter. 1970-February 1971. 2 22 Exhibits (temporary): And Then There Were None 1971-1972. Combines Theodore Roosevelt memorabilia and conservation printed matter. March 1971-1975. 3 1 Exhibits (temporary): Theodore Roosevelt November 24, 1948-March 1, 1949. Printed matter. 3 2 Exhibits (temporary): Theodore Roosevelt November 24, 1948-March 1, 1949. Correspondence. 3 3 Quotations: By and about Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt s Quotes. undated and 1953. 3 4 Quotations: By and about Theodore Roosevelt. Others: Abbot to Pringle. undated and 1969. 3 5 Quotations: By and about Theodore Roosevelt. Others: Riis to Wister. undated. 3 6 Quotations: By and about Theodore Roosevelt. Assorted (several on a page). undated. 3 7 Roosevelt: Bibliography and biography. 1948-1960
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Exhibitions, 1899-1984 (bulk 1899-1970) (MSS.R6671) Box Folder Title 3 8 Roosevelt: Bibliography and biography, printed matter. 1920, 1958, and undated. 3 9 Roosevelt Memorial, AMNH: Equestrian statue. 1940-1969. 3 10 Roosevelt Memorial, AMNH: Labels. 1949-1957. 3 11 Roosevelt Memorial, AMNH: Legislation. 1924-1935. 3 12 Roosevelt Memorial, AMNH: Money. 1953-1965. 3 13 Roosevelt Memorial, AMNH: Murals. 1932-1963 3 14 Roosevelt Memorial, AMNH: Printed matter (historic). 1922-1958. 3 15 Memorial Committees and Associations, New York State Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Committee. 1945-1960. 3 16 Memorial Committees and Associations, Theodore Roosevelt Association. 1953-1959. 3 17 Memorial Committees and Associations, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Committee, AMNH. 1960-1971. 3 18 Memorial Committees and Associations, Theodore Roosevelt Hall Advisory Committee of the AMNH. 1960-1966. 3 19 Miscellaneous people, letters and photographs. 1906-1969. 4 1 Roosevelt parks and monuments. 1949-1970. 4 2 Roosevelt parks and monuments. 1921, 1957, and 1958. 4 3 Roosevelt parks and monuments. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. 1919, 1950s and undated. 4 4 Photographs: Childhood and family. 1961 and undated. 4 5 Photographs: Hunter. undated. 4 6 Photographs: Portraits. undated. 4 7 Photographs: President of the United States. undated. 4 8 Photographs: Rough Rider. undated. 4 9 Photographs: Travel. undated. 4 10 Photographs: Negatives and negative prints. undated. 4 11 Photographs: Unidentified. undated. 4 12 Photographs: Wildlife refuges he created and reservoir sites he protected. 1909, 1960s, and undated. 4 13 Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund. 1960s. 4 14 Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund. 1973. 4 15 Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund. 1976. 4 16 Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund. 1978. 4 17 Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund. 1980. 4 18 Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund. 1981. 5 1 Oversize material: AMNH press releases about the Memorial. 1935-1958. 5 2 Oversize material: Inventories of Theodore Roosevelt Memorabilia made between 1949 and 1984. 5 3 Oversized material: New York State Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Advisory Committee memoranda of meetings. 1939-1959. 5 4 Oversize material: 1948-1949 temporary exhibit press releases.
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Exhibitions, 1899-1984 (bulk 1899-1970) (MSS.R6671) Box Folder Title 5 5 Oversize material: Photographs of Theodore Roosevelt drawings and manuscripts. undated. 6 1 Postcards distributed for Theodore Roosevelt s 105 th birthday celebration at the AMNH. 25 cards. 6 2 9 copies of New York State Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Dedicated: January 19 th 1936. Bound books. Prepared by the Memorial Board of Trustees in 1936. One copy is leather bound personal edition for Museum Director F. Trubee Davison. 6 3 Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Art Medal. Unknown origin and year. Made by Presidential Art Medals, Inc. of Englewood, Ohio. 6 4 July 9, 1959 US Senate Document- Final Report of the Theodore Roosevelt Centennial Commission relating to a celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Theodore Roosevelt 1858-1958 pursuant to Public Law 183 of the Eighty-fourth Congress. 6 5 6 copies of Chairman Henry Fairfield Osborn s Report on the Construction of the State Roosevelt Memorial. Issued by the Memorial Board of Trustees, December 12, 1928. 6 6 9 Roosevelt Association pamphlets. undated. 6 7 31 pamphlets: A Message from Theodore Roosevelt. undated. 6 8 12 pamphlets: State of NY Annual Report of the Roosevelt Memorial Commission, 1925. 6 9 8 pamphlets: State of NY Report and Recommendations of the Roosevelt Memorial Commission. 1925. 6 10 15 pamphlets: State of NY Report of the Roosevelt Memorial Commission. 1922. 6 11 25 pamphlets: The Theodore Roosevelt Memorial by George N. Pinder. undated. 6 12 15 pamphlets: Celebrating Roosevelt Centennial, 1958. 6 13 1 large book/pamphlet: The Library of Congress Quarterly Journal of Current Acquisitions. Vol. 15. May 1958. Number 3. 6 14 11 large sized programs for the Dedication of the NY State Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, Sunday January 19, 1936. 6 15 2 large bound books: History Plan and Design of the NY State Roosevelt Memorial, prepared by the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial board of trustees by H.F.Osborn. 1928. 6A 1 1684 Theodore Roosevelt Park: original accordion envelope. undated. 6A 2 1684 Theodore Roosevelt Park: Screen positive I Village of Bloomingdale. Captions. Pos. & negative for positive. Panel copy, neg. only. undated. 6A 3 1684 Theodore Roosevelt Park: Primary tissue layouts-roughs. undated. 6A 4 1684 Theodore Roosevelt Park: Wall panel design. undated. 6A 5 Theodore Roosevelt Park: Tissue drafts. undated.
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Exhibitions, 1899-1984 (bulk 1899-1970) (MSS.R6671) Box Folder Title 6A 6 1684 Theodore Roosevelt Park: Neg. for Screen pos. Proposed floor plan. undated. 6A 7 1684 Theodore Roosevelt Park: Captions, Screen Positives, Neg. Prints. undated. 6A 8 Theodore Roosevelt Photo: At his editorial desk in the office of the Outlook, New York. 1909(?). 6A 9 Theodore Roosevelt: Lithograph brochure. undated. 6A 10 LP: Theodore Roosevelt. undated. 6A 11 LP Wrapper: Theodore Roosevelt. undated.