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Teddy Roosevelt Day
~Saturday, September 20, 2008~
 Join us on Saturday, September 20, for Isle La Motte's celebration of Teddy Roosevelt, our "Conservation President." Bring the entire family to experience cider-making demonstrations, pick your own apples in our historic orchard, then get lost (and found!) in our corn maze. Stop by the Turner Barn for an antique tractor, car and boat show. While you're there, watch the "Recycling a Barn" video -- and see how the Turners moved their barn across the island. And don't forget to stop by Fisk Farm -- the site of Teddy Roosevelt's 1901 visit to Isle La Motte -- for the dedication of an historic marker noting the site. If you're a crafter, take a turn through Fisk Farm Art Barn for a taste of Isle La Motte residents' handiwork.
The Isle La Motte Historical Society Building will be open with exhibits and geology tours and hiking will be taking place at the Goodsell Ridge Preserve. As always, the Fisk Quarry Preserve is open to the public. A grand finale at the Goodsell Ridge Preserve will take place at the end of the day when all are invited to gather at the preserve for a re-visit by "Teddy Roosevelt" in an antique automobile along with free refreshments, music, and a special offering by Isle La Motte Elementary School students. A schedule and map of the entire day will be available. All events except for the Corn Maze are free of charge.
Teddy Roosevelt Day has been celebrated on Isle La Motte annually since 2001, the centennial anniversary of the original Roosevelt visit. Originally initiated by the Isle La Motte Historical Society, the day commemorates the visit of Theodore Roosevelt to Isle La Motte on September 6, 1901 when he attended a banquet of the Vermont Fish and Game League at the home of Lieutenant Governor Nelson W. Fisk on the west shore of Isle La Motte. The event was attended by 1,000 dignitaries and ordinary citizens throughout Vermont who arrived at the Fisk Quarry dock from Burlington on the steamer Chateaugay and by other boats from Swanton and St. Albans.
During the festivities a telephone call informed the vice president that President McKinley had been shot. Ten days later, upon the death of McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th President of the United States and the first conservationist president. He went on to preserve 150 National Forests, 51 Federal Bird Reservations, 4 National Game Preserves, 5 National Parks, 18
National Monuments, and 24 Reclamation Projects - averaging about 84,000 acres a day during the eight years of his presidency.
The theme of TR Day on Isle La Motte will be a focus on community, conservation, and preservation -- an expression of appreciation and support for our farms, our natural resources, our historic buildings, and the beauty and health of Lake Champlain. Artists, crafters, musicians, area businesses, non profits, or individuals who would like to participate in TR Day 2008 are invited to call 802-928-3364.
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