Why did TR become president in Buffalo? And why in September? This program describes the circumstances of William McKinley’s assassination and Theodore Roosevelt’s 1901 inauguration in Buffalo, NY, and explains the context surrounding this unique event.

This brief biography of Theodore Roosevelt explores the early experiences that shaped the man, and the impact of his presidency on the course of American and world history.

Few people can claim to be immortalized by a toy. This program tells the non-sugar-coated version of how the teddy bear was named for our 26th President.

Hear about the many 19th-century presidential visits to Buffalo, including significant roles in the lives of four Presidents: Millard Fillmore, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt.

This program examines the Patriots’ War in Canada in the late 1830’s, and its impact on Western New York. This little-known uprising brought the United States and Britain to the brink of war, led to a military garrison in Buffalo, and ultimately produced the structure that today serves as the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site.

Using information culled from surviving guest registers and various other sources, this largely anecdotal presentation seeks to provide the audience with a sense of what visitors really thought and did while they were in Buffalo during 1901.

Ken Burns’ 2014 PBS documentary (The Roosevelts: An Intimate History) glanced over the events leading up to TR’s 1901 inauguration. This program fills in those gaps and discusses the historical turning point that took place right here in WNY.

By all measures, TR’s 1901 inauguration in the library of a private home in Buffalo, NY, was unusual. This presentation explores several other presidential inaugurations (including Washington, Hayes, Franklin Roosevelt, and Ford) that took place under unusual circumstances.

The friendship  between Theodore Roosevelt and Buffalo attorney Ansley Wilcox is most often defined by TR’s inauguration in the library of the Wilcox home on September 14th, 1901. However, this over-simplifies a relationship that spanned at least four decades. This presentation will use letters and other archival materials to explore less familiar aspects of their enduring friendship.

This presentation uses primary sources to explore the life and interests of Grace Wilcox, who watched as a presidential inauguration unfolded in her living room on September 14th, 1901. It also looks at several other women who played key roles in the life of Ansley Wilcox.