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| Talking to the 26th President via "Holo Ted" at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site |
If you could converse with a president from over a century ago, what would you ask? If you could be president for 15 minutes, what issues would you champion? At the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site in Buffalo, New York, visitors can do more than just speculate—they can actively engage with history through immersive technology and entertaining educational experiences.
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| Outside the Wilcox home, now a museum in Buffalo, NY |
This week, we wrapped up our fall adventure to Niagara with travel companions Rik and Carol by visiting this historic home museum. After enjoying the Shaw Festival and the majesty of Horseshoe Falls, we stopped in Buffalo on our way home to soak in a few days of history and art. The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural House was first on our list (and twelfth on our BTS list of presidential sites*).
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| The library at the Wilcox home where Teddy Roosevelt took the oath of office. |
Once the residence of Ansley Wilcox, a prominent lawyer and friend of Roosevelt, this grand home became a landmark in American history following the tragic death of President McKinley—shot at a public reception during the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. Vice President Roosevelt was summoned back to the city, and upon his return, a member of McKinley’s Cabinet suggested he take the oath of office at Wilcox’s home, where he had recently been a guest. Roosevelt agreed, and on September 14, 1901, in the library of the Wilcox home, he became the 26th president of the United States.
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| Beautiful dining room set for an elegant repast. |
Roosevelt’s presidency ushered in the Progressive Era, marked by trust-busting, consumer protection laws, and the expansion of the national park system. Today, the site of his inauguration is a museum and fittingly part of the National Park Service. We joined one of the afternoon tours, led by a knowledgeable docent who guided us through the elegant dining room and the historic library where Roosevelt took the oath. Then came a delightful surprise upstairs.
Here, we met “Holo Ted”—a life-sized reenactor hologram powered by AI. Standing in the corner of a back room, the projection of Teddy Roosevelt was ready to interact with visitors. Carol asked what he considered his greatest presidential achievement. He responded with those listed above —and, being a politician, added a few more for good measure.
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| Carol asks Roosevelt about his presidential accomplishments. |
We were fortunate to be among the first to experience this captivating exhibit, as “Holo Ted” had only recently debuted at the site. Guests took turns asking questions, and Roosevelt answered each with personality and precision, embodying the spirit of the Bull Moose Party.
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| President Rik at the White House non-oval office. |
To top it off, we were invited back downstairs to a room designed to replicate Roosevelt’s White House office, a rectangular space, predating today’s iconic Oval Office. We were invited to sit in the presidential chair and select a cause to support. With my undergraduate degree in Political Science, it felt only natural to take a firm stand on the pressing issue of naming the family hamster.
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| As president, I set forth the official name of the family's hamster. |
Our visit to the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site was thoroughly enjoyable, and we appreciate Carol adding it to the itinerary. As much as we got out of the museum, we can only imagine how inspiring it would be for young learners. Kudos to this historic home and museum—or, to borrow Roosevelt’s own phrase, “Bully for you!”
In a fun coincidence, exactly seven years earlier to the day (October 1st), we were in Canton, Ohio with my brother Ed and sister-in-law Sandy, visiting the McKinley Library and Museum. Blog story in the future!
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| Seven years ago to the day, we visited the McKinley Library in Canton, OH. |
* To date, we have visited eleven presidential homes/libraries. Although, this TR Inaugural Site is neither a presidential home nor a library, we add it to our list due to its tremendous historical significance and we have over thirty more to go!
