Theodore Roosevelt’s Ride to the Presidency
The story of how Theodore Roosevelt came to be President while staying in the Adirondacks.
Tahawus Club in the 1890s
Theodore Roosevelt looms large as one of America's greatest presidents and for an incredible history of dramatic feats. Charging up San Juan Hill, Elected Governor of New York at 32, champion of progressivism and preservation of our parklands and natural resources.
One of TR's lesser-known but highly dramatic feats of derring-do was his literal ride to the Presidency, which took place right here in the Adirondacks in September 1901.
Route Marker on Teddy’s HIstoric Ride
McKinley’s assassination in Buffalo, NY.
The story begins with the assassination of President McKinley by an anarchist in Buffalo. McKinley was shot on September 6th, and initially, doctors thought McKinley would pull through, but on September 13, he took a precipitous turn for the worse. Roosevelt, who was then vice president, was summoned to be by his side.
At the time, TR was at staying at Tahawus Club in Newcomb, NY, and climbing Mt. Marcy, the highest peak in New York State, when a guide from the Club intercepted him at Lake Tear of the Clouds (source of the Hudson River) and delivered news of McKinley’s grave condition. Roosevelt returned to Tahawus immediately to clean up and rest for his long journey.
Vice President Roosevelt
But the man famous for saying, “Get action. Do things; be sane; don't fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action," couldn't wait until morning to set out for North Creek, an 80-mile journey to meet a train that would take him eventually to Buffalo.
A fateful midnight ride from the High Peaks to North Creek.
In those days, the trip to North Creek took seven hours in daylight. Roosevelt set out at midnight with a driver in a buckboard wagon and traveled 10 miles to the Tahawus Post Office to change wagons and drivers. Then to Long Lake, where he changed to a stagecoach.
Aiden Lair, one of Teddy Roosevelt's stops on his ride to the presidency.
Roosevelt rode south to Indian Lake, another picturesque village surrounded by pristine lakes and forests. At his last stop at Aiden Lair Lodge in Minerva, he changed his surrey again.
Aiden Lair proprietor Mike Cronin took over the driving duties and accompanied Roosevelt the rest of the way to the train station. The duo made the journey in record time, arriving in North Creek at approximately 4:45 am. All along the route, scouts traveled ahead of him to ensure the path was clear and well-lit for his passing while carrying the message of his imminent arrival.
Journey to become the new President.
Arriving at North Creek, Teddy Roosevelt learned McKinley had died, and he would become the next President of the United States. North Creek was a bustling town at the time due to the construction of a railroad that would soon connect the remote area to Albany and points beyond. He took the fastest train connection for Buffalo and was officially sworn in, fulfilling his constitutional duty as the 26th President of the United States.
Vintage photo of Lake Tear of the Clouds
It was a remarkable journey for an even more extraordinary man whose legacy continues to inspire us today. His ride through the Adirondacks reminds us that courage, intelligence, and perseverance can help us achieve anything.
If you're interested in tracing the journey yourself, there is a Roosevelt-Marcy trail, mostly traveling along Route 28-N. Read more about it here, and happy trails to you.
Places to eat, shop, stay and things to do near the Roosevelt Marcy-Byway.
