It was fascinating to write the story about the new exhibit, The Roosevelts Next Door, Portraits of Devotion, about the collection donated by Oyster Bay Historical Society’s longtime board member Elizabeth Roosevelt, of her family’s papers. It is another fascinating glimpse into the world of the Roosevelts.
They are a fascinating family.
According to Wikipedia, “The first Roosevelt to come to America was Claes Maartenszen van Rosenvelt, the immigrant ancestor of the Roosevelt family, who arrived in Nieuw Amsterdam (present day New York City) sometime between 1638 and 1649. Around the year 1652, he bought a farm from Lambert van Valckenburgh comprising twenty-four morgens (forty-eight acres) in what is now Midtown Manhattan, including the present site of the Empire State Building. The property included roughly what is now the area between Lexington Avenue and Fifth Avenue bounded by 29th St. and 35th St.”
The Roosevelts have been around for a long and illustrious time. They have left a very positive mark on our country. We are honored that many of the Roosevelts chose to live in Oyster Bay.
All we can say is, the more you learn about the Roosevelts the more you want to learn about them. It’s a good reason to mark the grand opening exhibit of February 12 on your calendar, and to be sure to come and see it.
