Teddy Roosevelt's N.Y. Home to Be Renovated

All of the historic artifacts at Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's "summer White House" in Oyster Bay, N.Y., are being packed away in preparation for a three-year, $6.2 million renovation of the mansion. The National Parks Service and other workers have already spent nine months packing books and other smaller items into boxes, cataloging every last knickknack on a spreadsheet. Sagamore Hill, which has roughly 50,000 visitors every year, will officially be closed off to the public on Dec. 5 so movers can come in to do heavy lifting and store more precious art and antiques before renovation begins in the spring. Built in 1885, the three-story home hasn't seen any major renovations in more than 50 years. The electrical, heating, security, and fire-suppression systems will all be updated, while exterior work will include a new roof, foundation waterproofing, and restoration of roughly 78 windows, doors, and porches. A small display of Roosevelt's belongings—including his White House china—will remain on display in another building on the property.