Tagged: Oyster Bay
Being Teddy Roosevelt
James Foote (l. Photo courtesy of James and Joni Foote). President Roosevelt (r. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress)
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James Foote has some pretty big shoes to fill but he’s been pulling it off effortlessly for decades. Starting with a close resemblance to the 26th President of the United States and adding a passion for research, James has built a career as one of the most sought-after Theodore Roosevelt re-enactors in the country. He’s portrayed Teddy at corporate events, on river boats, at the White House, and most fittingly, at the christening of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.
In this interview with Connie Currie and Chris Kretz, you’ll hear how James approaches his role, the research he’s undertaken, and how he’s learned to handle everything from hecklers to heart attacks. We also discuss Theodore Roosevelt’s life, his connections to Long Island, and his enduring place in the American memory. Running time 47:43.
And mark your calendars! On Sunday, July 12th, 2015, Sagamore Hill will reopen to the public after a major three-year renovation project. James Foote will be part of the celebration at “the Summer White House” in Oyster Bay.
Further Research:
The Truth Behind the Spies: Decoding AMC’s Turn
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Historian Bev Tyler of the Three Village Historical Society
Bev Tyler, historian with the Three Village Historical Society, walks us through the true story of the Culper Spy Ring that operated out of Setauket and Manhattan during the Revolutionary War. Made up of a small tight-knit group of friends and relatives, the Ring provided valuable information on British activities that helped George Washington outmaneuver and out-spy a much more powerful enemy. All of this was conducted in occupied territory, a Long Island beset by British troops with no love for the population they were meant to protect and raiders from the Sound who preyed on Loyalist and Patriot alike. We also discuss the AMC series Turn which depicts a fictionalized version of the Ring. Find out where the story strays from the history and which facts and characters stay true to the historical record. From Abraham Woodhull to Robert Townsend, Anna Strong, and Caleb Brewster, find out what they were really like and their fate after the war. Turn starts its second season in the spring of 2015.
North Shore of Long Island, 1780. Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division
Further Research:
- The Three Village Historical Society
- Turn: Washington’s Spies on AMC
- It Happened in Setauket…(from the Emma S. Clark Library)
- Raynham Hall Museum
- George Washington Letters at Stony Brook University Special Collections.
- George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress
- Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring by Alexander Rose
- Upon Secrecy by Selene Castrovilla, Jeff Crosby, and Shelley Jackson
- Fairfield Historical Society
- Page 288 of Benjamin F. Thompson’s History of Long Island (1839)
- Morton Pennypacker Long Island Collection at the East Hampton Public Library
The Long Island History Project 