Theodore Roosevelt Island

Theodore Roosevelt Island is a national park located in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. named after the 26th president of the United States. It lies just north of Columbia Island and can be accessed by a bridge leading to a paved trail/bike path that connects Columbia Island to the banks of the Potmac facing DC from Virginia. A small island named Small Island lies just off the southern tip. On the eastern shore at about the half-way point of the island, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts can be seen through the trees.

Related Topics:
National park - Potomac River - Washington, D.C. - The 26th president of the United States - Columbia Island - Virginia - Small Island - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

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The original American Indian inhabitants of the area called the island, "Analostan." The Mason family owned the island for 125 years and John Mason built a mansion and gardens there in the early 19th century. Part of the mansion's foundation is all that remains today. The Masons left the island in 1831 when a causeway stagnated the water. Aside from a brief period in the Civil War when Union troops were stationed there, the island has been uninhabited since the Masons left. Locals continued to call it "Mason's Island" until the memorial was built there.

Related Topics:
American Indian - 19th century - 1831 - Civil War

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The Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Association purchased the 91-acre (37-hectare), wooded island in 1932 with the intention of erecting a memorial honoring Roosevelt. Congress appropriated funds for the memorial in 1960 which was dedicated October 27, 1967. The memorial, designed by Eric Gugler, includes a 17-foot (5-meter) statue by sculptor Paul Manship. Also included are four large stone monoliths with some of Roosevelt's more famous quotations and two large fountains. The island is now maintained by the National Park Service.

Related Topics:
1932 - Congress - 1960 - October 27 - 1967 - Eric Gugler - Paul Manship - National Park Service

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Although the island is part of the District of Columbia, it is only accessible by a footbridge near the George Washington Memorial Parkway from Arlington, Virginia. No cars or bicycles are permitted on the island.

Related Topics:
George Washington Memorial Parkway - Arlington, Virginia

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