The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site is celebrating the completion of what they say is much needed TLC. Funds totaling $100,000 from Erie County were used to upgrade outdated audio and visual displays, and for electrical and lighting work.
The site’s executive director Spencer Morgan said ensuring the nearly 200-year-old building is up to date is vital for locals and tourists alike to learn about Buffalo’s place in presidential history.
"Everything here is about civic engagement," said Morgan. "It’s about activating young citizens. It’s about teaching people the power of their vote. It’s about teaching people about what to do to be a more active and engaged citizen."
The house where Teddy Roosevelt took his oath of office in 1901 following the assassination of President William McKinley attracts about 30,000 people every year, and is the only National Park Service site in Western New York.
The upgrade project was first being explored in 2019, but was stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Morgan said it was important to get it across the finish line, because their mission doesn’t only include teaching the saga of McKinley’s assassination and Roosevelt’s swearing in, they also need to care for a building built in 1838.
"We're also going to be working on a lot of electrical work under the roof for exhibit purposes," he said. "So that would be upgrading our lightbulbs to LED, upgrading our electrical outlets and anything else that touches exhibits so that they're maintained, and that this new technology works with the electrical grid that's here."
In the fall, the Roosevelt Site unveiled a new exhibit featuring an interactive Teddy Roosevelt hologram. It uses AI that draws from primary sources to recreate full conversations with the 26th president.
