Theodor Roosevelt is arguably one of the most famous United States presidents of all time, and his popularity is not only attributed to his prolific works and services as a politician but also his signature look, which is highlighted by the unusual pair or Pince-Nez glasses and his iconic walrus moustache. Because his name is considered to be one of the most recognizable names in history, there are many places and objects named after him. Here are some of the popular locations and items that are named after Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt Lake
Theodore Roosevelt Lake, commonly referred by locals as Roosevelt Lake or Lake Roosevelt, is a reservoir that is located on the Salt River in the state of Arizona. The reservoir is formed by the Theodore Roosevelt Dam, a structure that was built in 1903 to impound water from the Salt River. Interestingly, the Theodore Roosevelt Dam was dedicated by the president himself in March 1911. The lake is the largest reservoir in Arizona and has been a popular tourist and local attraction in the area because of its fishing spots and its Grapevine Airstrip, where people can see fantastic airplanes perform a fly-in.
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
The Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site is located at 28 East 20th Street in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York and serves as the location where Theodore Roosevelt was born. The house that was originally built on the location was bought by the Roosevelt family in 1854, which is four years before the president’s birth. Theodor Roosevelt then lived in that house until 1972, when the family began moving to 57th street as the Flatiron District became more commercialized and was too busy for the family to live in.
The original house was demolished in 1916 in order to use the location as a retail space, but after the death of the former president in 1919, an organization called the Women’s Roosevelt Memorial Association purchased the lot and rebuilt the house in 1923 with the help of female architect Theodate Pope Riddle. Besides the exterior, the interior and the pieces of furniture that can be seen in the original house were also refurbished.
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
The fourth USS Theodore Roosevelt is a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier owned by the United States Navy and is powered by nuclear propulsion. This carrier is the fourth ship that is named after Theodore Roosevelt, with the first two being a Navy troop transport (ID-1478) and a submarine (SSBN-600), while the third one is a steamship that just bears the president’s last name. Beside the USS Theodore Roosevelt, there are also other ships in the United States Navy that are named after other members of the Roosevelt family.
The call sign for the USS Theodore Roosevelt is “Rough Rider,” which is also the nickname for the president’s volunteer cavalry unit during the Spanish-American War. The USS Theodore Roosevelt was ordered on September 30, 1980 and was launched on October 27, 1984.
Theodore Roosevelt Award
The Theodore Roosevelt Award is considered to be the highest honor that the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) gives to a person that is a graduated of any institution affiliated to the association. This annual award is given to a person that has earned a varsity letter in his or her alma mater for participating in intercollegiate athletics and also an outstanding reputation in his or her field or career.
This award is nicknamed “The Teddy” and is named after Theodore Roosevelt because of the president’s concerns and acts about intercollegiate programs that eventually lead to the created of the NCAA in 1906. Among the winners of the award are former presidents George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Teddy Bear
Believe it or not, the popular stuffed toy called the teddy bear is actually named after Theodore Roosevelt. The “teddy bear” name came from both his nickname Teddy (which he hated being called as) and a hunting trip wherein Roosevelt refused to kill an American black bear as he deemed the killing “unsportsmanlike.” The hunting trip became a sensational news story, and a political cartoon in The Washington Post that depicts Roosevelt’s refusal to kill the bear was published in 1902. That particular comic was drawn by Clifford Berryman, who would go on to draw the iconic bear several more times in other comic strips and making it cuter and smaller.
The cuter version of the Berryman bear inspired businessman Morris Michtom to create a stuffed toy called “Teddy’s bear.” After receiving permission by Roosevelt to use his name for the product, Michtom began selling the teddy bear to the public in 1902, and it became such a hit that Michtom was able to form his toy company called “Ideal Toy Company” in 1907.
Those are five famous places and objects that are named after the popular president Theodore Roosevelt. Through these memorials and items named after the late president, his legacy will continue to be prominent in American history, and it may never be erased or forgotten as long as locations and things are still being named after him.