Attention-grabbing newspaper headlines such as these have, in recent decades, shaped the narrative surrounding the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site’s origins. As the fiftieth anniversary of the museum’s Opening Day approached, the site, with help in the form of a grant from the East Hill Foundation, hired an archivist to catalog and organize its institutional records. From those newly accessible files, has emerged a much more nuanced and complex story. It is one of commitment, perseverance and cooperation among preservation-minded community members, a local developer, local business leaders and government officials.

When Theodore Roosevelt lifted his right hand in the library of Ansley and Mary Grace Wilcox’s Delaware Avenue home on the afternoon of September 14, 1901, and swore to “...faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and...preserve, protect and defend the Constitution,” it was both unexpected and shocking. His predecessor, the immensely popular William McKinley, had died only hours earlier, having been tragically felled by an assassin’s bullet. At 42 years old, Roosevelt became the nation’s youngest president. He spent the next seven-plus years reshaping the office and is considered by many historians to be the first modern president.

When reflecting on the unusual inauguration that took place in his home, Ansley Wilcox later wrote: “The people of Buffalo will always have a special interest in the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt because it was in this city that the awful tragedy occurred which made him president, and it was here that he was sworn in, held his first cabinet meeting, and issued his first proclamation…” What Wilcox seems to have underestimated, however, was the interest that Buffalonians (and others) ultimately took in the place where TR’s presidency began. Commemorative postcards featuring the columned façade of the Wilcox home began appearing shortly after the inauguration. Following Warren Harding’s inauguration on March 4th, 1921, The Buffalo Times devoted a full page to “The Historic Wilcox Home in [sic] Delaware Avenue.” In addition to a photo of the home’s exterior, the photo spread included seven interior images—considerably more than were taken on September 14, 1901. 

Following the deaths of Ansley and Mary Grace Wilcox in the 1930s, the Buffalo-based Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Association launched an effort to preserve their home. Under the leadership of Leonard S. Spire and honorary chairman Edward H. Hutchinson, the group proposed a “national shrine” to honor Theodore Roosevelt’s memory, spotlight his service in the Spanish-American War and serve as “a national center for the promotion of the ethical, moral and civic idealism which characterizes sound citizenship.” A colorful “Memorial Map” was produced and a fundraising campaign was underway by 1935, but the Theodore Roosevelt-Spanish War Veterans' Memorial never came to fruition. It is unclear whether the Great Depression doomed the effort or if other factors were involved. By 1938, however, the former Wilcox home and property were leased to Oliver Lawrence and his wife.

When Kathryn Lawrence’s Dining Rooms opened shortly thereafter, the building’s history and presidential associations were on full display. Interior photographs and promotional postcards show that the restaurant’s first floor decor included presidential portraits (TR and McKinley) as well as strategically placed American flags. One wall boasted a hefty plaque on which the hand-written oath signed by Roosevelt was enlarged and reproduced. The opposite wall featured what appears to be a hand-lettered sign listing nearly two dozen “Distinguished Guests.” Restaurant menus bore the prominent tagline “Buffalo’s White House” and reminded patrons that “Theo. [sic] Roosevelt took the oath of office as President of the United States in this Mansion, Sept. 14, 1901.” There was even a small gilt star placed on the ceiling above where TR stood while taking the oath.

While logic would suggest that the restaurant’s popularity was due in no small part to the quality of food being served, it can also be surmised that the Lawrences’ presidential-themed decor and marketing strategy did not hurttheir business. The TR Site’s artifact collection attests to the large number of wedding breakfasts, parties and other events that took place at the restaurant during the two decades it was open. It is difficult to imagine that there were many patrons who left without at least some appreciation of the building’s history.

When Kathryn Lawrence died on September 10, 1959, Oliver decided to close the restaurant. By October 23, 1961, the Buffalo Evening News revealed that the property had been leased to a company “...identified with the [Nathan] Benderson real-estate development interests which have acquired numerous other Delaware Ave. [sic] properties, razed buildings on them, and, in many cases, put up new office building-type structures.” The following day, the Buffalo Courier-Express reported, “A Benderson spokesman said no definite plans have been made for the property. He declined comment when asked if the historic building would be razed. However, the announcement of public auction [of the building’s contents] states: ‘Building being demolished.’”

Reaction to the rumored demolition of the former Wilcox home was swift. Delaware Councilman Roland R. Benzow warned that it would be a “tragedy” and urged action. The Courier-Express reported that “Dr. Marvin A. Rapp, dean of Nassau Community College...and former history professor at State University College here...appealed for a delay in demolition.” And, while an editorial in the Buffalo Evening News reminded readers that, “A historic treasure, once demolished, cannot be replaced,” Mrs. Charles Swain of Tonawanda expressed concern that, if the building were torn down, someone in the future would develop an affinity for the spot where TR was inaugurated and “they’ll spend millions to build a replica.” 

A mere two days after the Buffalo Evening News reported on the threat of demolition, another article—with the headline “Benderson Considers Plan for Saving Wilcox Mansion”— suggested a more promising fate for the house. After discussions with Dr. Julian Park, President of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, Benderson “...offered to hold in abeyance for a reasonable time [emphasis added] any plans...which might involve demolition of the building so that people of the community may have an opportunity to develop a sound and practical plan for saving this historic shrine.” For his part, Park praised Benderson’s civic spirit, “which in this instance, I have no doubt, involves some sacrifice of his own financial interest.”

The next several months witnessed a flurry of activity, as various community groups (the Girl Scouts of Buffalo & Erie County, among others) and individuals registered their support and joined the effort to preserve the former Wilcox home. Among the individuals who became involved during these early days were Owen B. Augspurger and Mary Plimpton, as well as the father-and-son team of Olaf and Bill Shelgren. Augspurger was a lawyer and civic leader who held various leadership positions on the boards of both the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and (eventually) the TR Site. Plimpton was Ansley Wilcox’s niece. Her dedication to the effort was as invaluable, as were her early memories of the Wilcox home and the familial/social/political connections she leveraged. In the fall of 1961, Olaf Shelgren was serving as the regional chairman of the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on Preservation of Historic Buildings. In early November, he urged Buffalo’s mayor-elect to embrace a “preservation program” and made particular reference to “the historic Ansley Wilcox house.” Along with his son Bill, Olaf Shelgren was instrumental in spearheading Western New York’s historic preservation movement.

Meanwhile, both Benderson and the emerging coalition of preservationists were actively exploring options to save the building where Theodore Roosevelt was inaugurated. A memo from Owen Augspurger to Julian Park, dated November 1, 1961, looked at the possibility of moving the former Wilcox home. Perhaps, Augspurger suggested, it would only be necessary to move part of the building. Given the building’s age and construction, however, he questioned whether it could be safely moved. And, of course, “Where would it be moved?” He suggested several possibilities: “...a cheaper lot closer to its present location, or...Parkland [sic] near the Historical Society building, or...Delaware Park or Front Park.” 

On November 10, 1961, architect Howard Bell reported the results of a building inspection he had conducted at Benderson’s request. He found that “the exterior of the building is in reasonably good and repairable condition,” but his assessment of the interior was hardly encouraging. According to Bell, “...a complete interior reconstruction would be necessary to restore it to its condition at the period associated with its historical and architectural significance.” Bell went on to characterize the possibility of moving the structure as a “challenging enterprise” and questioned the costs associated with that option.

As the prohibitive costs associated with moving the former Wilcox home became more apparent to everyone involved, however, the preservationists had another idea.

Dated December 22, 1961, a letter from Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society director Wilbur H. Glover followed up on a “conference” with Congressman Thaddeus J. Dulski that had taken place three days earlier. Glover’s two-page letter, accompanied by what appears to be a hastily sketched floorplan, provided Dulski with “information...concerning the Ansley Wilcox House, for a bill you plan to introduce in the Congress to have the House established as a National Historic Site, to be administered by the National Park Service.” In a press release issued by Dulski’s office a few days later, the cost of acquisition and renovation was estimated at $450,000. When H.R. 9622 was introduced on January 11, 1962, it prompted a flurry of supportive letters from his constituents in Western New York.

It is worth noting that Buffalonians’ efforts to save the former Wilcox house coincided with a growing national awareness regarding the importance of historic preservation. Under the direction of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, the White House was in the midst of an extensive and well-publicized renovation project. Approximately one month after the Wilcox bill was introduced, a one-hour television special called A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy was viewed by an estimated 56 million Americans.

Local support and broad interest in historic preservation, however, could not save H.R. 9622. In April, a report from the Department of the Interior opposed the measure. Interior Secretary Stewart L. Udall later wrote, “...the Wilcox House was more appropriately a subject of City or local preservation responsibility rather than Federal responsibility.” A letter from Congressman Leo W. O’Brien provided additional context:

I share your disappointment that this Congress did not approve the measure. Because of your diligent efforts in the matter, I think you should know that the lack of action by the Interior Committee, of which I am a member, did not result from any negligence on your part. The fact is that the Committee had before it this year several bills relating to places linked with Theodore Roosevelt…. It was the feeling of the Committee, whether right or wrong, that a third Roosevelt bill in the same year, no matter how worthy, might prove too large a package to get through the legislative door.

Determined to see the Wilcox house designated as a national historic site, Dulski reintroduced his bill in February of the following year. On June 17, 1963, a subcommittee of the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee met in Buffalo for a public hearing. More than a dozen speakers were listed on the agenda, including Walter McCausland, vice president of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society; Roland Benzow, member of the Buffalo Common Council; Mrs. Victor (Julia Boyer) Reinstein, president of the Erie County Historical Federation; Olaf W. Shelgren, representing the American Institute of Architects; Dr. Burton A. Hoffman, as chairman of the Rotary Club’s Civic Affairs Committee; and Dr. Joseph Manch, Buffalo schools superintendent. At the hearing’s conclusion, all subcommittee members strongly endorsed Dulski’s bill.

As summer turned into fall and Congress took no further action, a letter from developer Nathan Benderson arrived on Dulski’s desk. It acknowledged a desire to cooperate with ongoing efforts to preserve the Wilcox house, but emphasized that, “...this has been quite a costly expense…[since] we are paying rent and taxes on this property.” Benderson continued:

The time has now come when we must make a decision as to whether or not this property should be razed and leased to a group who are eager to erect a new restaurant and motel on the site.... We, as citizens of this community, wish to cooperate by passing up this business arrangement in favor of the preservation of this historic site. It is, however, imperative that we receive some kind of answer from the powers that be as to what steps we should take. Unless we receive some kind of definite answer within the next twenty or thirty days, we will be forced to move in this other direction.

Dulski’s initial reply included a gentle reminder that “The legislative process grinds very slowly sometimes.” Another letter, dated October 11, 1963, thanked Benderson for granting “additional time” and commended the developer for “placing the country’s interest first, and your personal interest second.”

During the next year, as the legislative process continued to grind, letters between Benderson and Dulski followed a familiar pattern. The developer periodically asked the Congressman for an update, while suggesting that he would soon need to make a decision about the property’s future. Inevitably, Dulski responded with gratitude for Benderson’s continued cooperation and patience. However, in a letter dated August 12, 1964, Benderson struck a more urgent tone; he wrote:

I wish to advise [you] that it is impossible for us to withhold the demolition of the Wilcox property and we are now in the process of taking out a demolition permit to demolish the same. Unless we hear from you to the contrary, it will be necessary for us to demolish this building during the month of September…

Five days later, when Dulski’s bill came up for a vote in the House, Michigan representative Gerald R. Ford objected and effectively killed the measure because there was no provision for local contributions.

In the months following the setback in Congress, the coalition fighting to preserve the former Wilcox home re-organized and re-invigorated itself. September of 1964 saw the creation of the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Committee, a group led by Henry Bryce (the Buffalo branch manager of IBM and head of the Buffalo Area Council of Boy Scouts of America), John Galvin (chair of the Greater Buffalo Development Foundation) and Owen Augspurger. The committee worked with Donald J. Groth (vice chairman of the Young Democrats of Western New York) to sponsor a “Hike for History” on October 27 (TR’s birthday).

Meanwhile, careful negotiations had been underway to alleviate the recurring concern that the Wilcox house might fall victim to the wrecking ball. Benderson, after all, had leased the property about three years earlier, far exceeding the reasonable amount of time he had initially promised in October of 1961. He had also worked with the preservationists and earned praise for his “wholehearted cooperation in this vital matter.” But the situation was hardly ideal. At the end of October, Augspurger and E. Perry Spink (president of Liberty National Bank and Trust Co.) announced Benderson had agreed to sell the property to the bank. Plans called for the bank to hold it while Congressman Dulski continued to pursue acquisition by the federal government. Community support for the project was evident and Dulski was ready to try again.

In early 1965, Dulski introduced a new bill into the House of Representatives that provided for the acquisition of the former Wilcox home. Shortly thereafter, New York Senator Jacob Javits introduced a similar bill in the Senate and the state’s junior senator, Robert F. Kennedy, co-sponsored the measure. Like earlier versions of Dulski’s proposal, however, the bill’s journey through Congress was a bit bumpy. One memorable moment was Kennedy’s unexpected appearance at a subcommittee meeting. He drew an unmistakable and poignant connection between TR’s 1901 inauguration and Lyndon Johnson’s, only two years earlier. He went on, “The Ansley Wilcox house is as much a part of our national heritage as the national forest or the Grand Canyon. If we destroy buildings of this type, we destroy a part of ourselves." His emotional appeal impressed observers, one of whom marveled, “Who would have thought that the ghost of Dallas would hover over Delaware Avenue…?”

When concerns regarding initial restoration and ongoing maintenance costs threatened to derail the Senate bill during the spring and summer of 1966, a small group flew to Washington to meet with lawmakers as well as representatives from the National Park Service. The delegation consisted of Henry Bryce, Owen Augspurger, James L. Kane (Buffalo AFL-CIO Council) and E. Perry Spink. Armed with pledges of financial support from the Buffalo Evening News, the Buffalo Courier-Express, the Boost Buffalo Committee of the Greater Buffalo Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as various local and regional banks, the Buffalonians hoped to convince hesitant senators of the community’s support.

After more than four-and-a-half years of concerted effort, Congressman Dulski’s bill to save the Wilcox house and designate it as a national historic site, under the auspices of the National Park Service, passed Congress and made its way to President Johnson’s desk in the fall of 1966. It was finally signed into law on November 2. However, this triumph brought with it a daunting new challenge. Public Law 89-708 authorized the federal government to appropriate “not more than $250,000 for the acquisition [of the Ansley Wilcox House] and not more than $50,000 for the restoration.” But, it also stipulated that:

The [Interior] Secretary shall not obligate or expend any moneys herein authorized...nor shall he establish such property as a national historic site in Federal ownership, unless and until commitments are obtained for donations of funds or services in an amount which in the judgment of the Secretary is sufficient to complete restoration of the property and to operate and maintain it for public benefit.

The preservationists who had worked so hard to get to this point needed to raise a $250,000 match to realize their dream.

In March of 1967, the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Committee was replaced by the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation. Shortly thereafter, the foundation was granted a provisional charter from the New York State Education Department. Listed as the organization’s original incorporators were: Peter J. Adamski, Owen Augspurger, Henry Bryce, Howard W. Clother, Vincent A. Daigler, Thomas W. Ryan, James L. Kane, W. W. Kimmins, Alfred H. Kirchhofer and E. Perry Spink. 

The foundation was quick to launch a fundraising campaign and the community was generous in its response. From business leaders to labor leaders, from government entities to area media outlets, contributions came from an array of sources. Service organizations, civic clubs, cultural and patriotic groups got involved, as did individuals from all walks of life. In 1968, the Junior League made a game-changing pledge in the amount of $50,000 and its members remained actively involved in the restoration phase of the project. Moreover, labor, materials and service poured in. The Federated Garden Clubs restored the grounds. Harry Frank General did maintenance at cost, union painters generously volunteered 350 hours of time using paint donated by Pratt and Lambert to help redecorate the house. Birge Wallpaper donated specially reproduced historic wallpaper and installation. Weiner Metal and Roofing provided new roofing materials while the Oil and Heating Institute donated fuel oil for the winter. Stanley Steel, National Gypsum and Sterling Glass gave materials for urgently needed repairs, while Frey Electric and William Kimmins Company performed the necessary skilled work without charge. Community support and contributions were such that the federal government finalized the purchase of the former Wilcox residence in 1969; it had been eight years since developer Nathan Benderson relegated his business interests to preserve the house and five years since Liberty Bank acquired the property. After nearly a decade of hard work and struggle, Western New York’s first unit of the National Park Service—the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site—opened to the public on September 14, 1971, 70 years to the day after TR ushered in the modern presidency in the Wilcox parlor.