Theodore Roosevelt Island

https://www.nps.gov/this/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt_Island Theodore Roosevelt Island is located in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The land is generally maintained as a natural park, with various trails and a memorial plaza featuring a statue of Roosevelt. No cars or bicycles are permitted on the island, which is reached by a footbridge from Arlington, Virginia, on the western bank of the Potomac. In the 1930s, landscape architects transformed Mason’s Island from neglected, overgrown farmland into Theodore Roosevelt Island, a memorial to America’s 26th president. They conceived a “real forest” designed to mimic the natural forest that once covered the island. Today miles of trails through wooded uplands and swampy bottomlands honor the legacy of a great outdoorsman and conservationist. By Car: accessible from the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, after Roosevelt Bridge, exit sign, turn right into the parking lot. Please note: park in a designated parking space, US Park Police regularly tickets drivers who park on the grass. By Metro: exit Rosslyn Metro station, walk toward Key Bridge, take short connecting trail downhill from the downstream side of the bridge, across the parkway, and into the parking lot for the island. By Bike: Mount Vernon Trail north end Staute of Theodore Roosevelt A bronze statue of Theodore Roosevelt standing and pointing. Theodore Roosevelt memorial plaza on Theodore Roosevelt Island. Theodore Roosevelt Island Trail woodland trail in the shadow of tall trees Hike the trails around the island Ranger answers Question Three people with Park Ranger at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial. National Park Service Ranger discussing Theodore Roosevelt with visitors at his memorial. Across Theodore Roosevelt Island Memorial Plaza long stone plaza with statue of Theodore Roosevelt at end surround by the shadows of tall trees Enjoy a hidden gem, an island oasis, in the busy Washington, D.C region. Trail on Theodore Roosevelt Island three people walking on wooden boardwalk under trees Hike the trails throughout Theodore Roosevelt Island for a grand adventure. Sense of Wilderness: New Perspectives on Theodore Roosevelt Island Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. designed the memorial landscape of Theodore Roosevelt Island to evoke a sense of wilderness. In this wooded sanctuary, located on the Potomac River between the cities of Washington, DC and Rosslyn, Virginia, the park hosts multi-sensory nature walks that invite blind, visually impaired, and sighted visitors to explore the landscape through touch, sound, smell, and taste. A blue sky is reflected in a marshy areas of calm water, surrounded by bright green trees. 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Theodore Roosevelt Island National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior George Washington A Memorial to a ... Above:A view of Washington,DC and TheodoreRooseveltIsland takenfrom above the George WashingtonMemorial Parkway in 1972by Mary E. Curry Right:PresidentRoosevelt(left)with famous naturalistJohn Muir at YosemiteNational Park in 1903 Parkway This wooded island is a tribute to the vision of our 26th President. His passion for the earth's natural places and foresight in planning for their preservation contributed to the conservation legacy we treasure today. Born on October 27, 1858, in New York City, Roosevelt overcame health challenges of asthma and poor eyesight, and focused his attention on the outdoor world. He enjoyed collecting live animal s and hunting "specimens" to study. As a youngste r, he established his own natural history museum with items gathered from his neighborhood and family travels. By the time of his presidency, he was a well-known naturalist and outdoorsman. This background prepared him for many of the challenges of his administration. As President, Roosevelt rose to a conservation crisis. Bison, beaver, and shore birds were fast disappearing, while other species had become extinct. Approximately four-fifths of the nation's prime forests had been cut to make way for farms and provide building materials and fuel. Years of continuous farming had compromised soil fertility. His leadership changed the public's perception that America's natural resources were inexhaustible. Under Roosevelt's leadership, the Federal Government expanded its role in conserving our nation's resources: law in 1906. This law has been used to protect magnificent cliff dwellings, ruins and missions discovered on public lands in the southwestern United States. __._..'-'-Roosevck.signed.the-Antiquities.Acttlnto Statue of TheodoreRoosevelt, TheodoreRooseveltIsland, Washington,DC c.1967 Memorial In the world of conservation, there are numerous tributes to Roosevelt. A subspecies of elk, which was discovered in Olympic National Park, was renamed Cervus roosevelti. In Brazil, his explorations of the River of Doubt led to its renaming as "Rio Roosevelt," as a tribute to his role in expanding knowledge of wetlands and rainforests. These accolades seem fitting for a President who was once late for a Cabinet meeting because he was watching birds. Roosevelt's love of animals led to the creation of one of his most famous namesakes. Once, while on a hunting trip, his aides tied up an old bear for him to kjll. His refusalto sh._Q9 t the defen~less animal prompted a newspaper to draw a cartoon. The cartoon, published nationwide, inspired the creation of the "Teddy Bear," one of America's most beloved toys. • Roosevelt provided public protection for nearly 230 million acres of land in the United States during his tenure in office. He created 18 national monuments 5 national parks, 150 national forests, 51 Federal bird reservations, and 4 national game reserves. The monuments included Devils Tower, Lassen Volcanic, Muir Woods, and the Grand Canyon (before it became a national park). Additional Roosevelt Presidential legacies include: • He established the United States Forest Service, a Federal land management agency. • Coined the term "White House" • Support for women's and civil rights • Driving force behind construction of the Panama Canal • Negotiated an end to the Russo-Japanese War • First American to win the Nobel Peace Prize TheodoreRooseveltMemorial, c. 1967 The Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Association (TRMA) purchased this island, as well as adjacent Little Island (for a total of 88.5 acres), in 1932. Later the same year, TRMA deeded the land to the Federal Government as a gift in memory of our 26 th President to be maintained "as a natural park for the recreation and enjoyment of the public." TRMA retained responsibility for development of the memorial and hired Olmsted Brothers, a landscape architecture firm. Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., and the Civilian Conservation Corps created what has become the mature woodland sanctuary you see today. Years later, Architect Eric Gugler designed the memorial and Sculptor Paul Manship created the central statue. A dedication ceremony took place in October 1967. The island has a diverse history. Evidence shows that Native Americans used the island as a seasonal fishing village. The site was named "My Lord's Island" when King Charles I granted it to Lord Baltimore. One owner, a sea captain, called it "Barbadoes" after his childhood home. In the 1790s,John Mason, son of George Mason IV (author of the Virginia Bill of Rights), built a brick mansion and cultivated gardens on the island. For years afterward, the island was a picnic resort. During the Civil War, the site served as a training area for the Union Army, including the "First 1:J.S.Color~d Troops:' Today, the National Park Service protects the island, while providing for public enjoyment. While you a