Theodore Roosevelt speaks to a crowd in Olympia, Washington, in 1903 Photo provided by Scott Woodward.
Few people now living realize that in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt toured the state of Washington, visiting seventeen towns and cities, large and small. Long before presidents flew on Air Force One, this one had a private six-car train and entered the state from the south, crossing the Columbia River on a specially designed train ferry, five years before a bridge was built. His staff and members of the press accompanied him. In spite of the limitations of communication at the dawn of the 20th century, word of Roosevelt's tour traveled quickly, bringing out throngs of admirers who eagerly waited to greet him at every whistle stop. He had a knack for bringing people together, even if they held diverse views, uniting them as Americans.
Now the spirit of Roosevelt visits this state once again, personified by a fascinating man named Scott Woodward, a retired educator who, for thirty years, taught American history, Washington state history, and anthropology at both high school and college levels. He lives in Richland, Washington, and these days, in addition to dedicating himself to volunteer work and serving as president of the Tapteal Greenway and Ridges to Rivers Open Space Network, he travels around the state giving a presentation he has created titled Theodore Roosevelt: Wilderness Warrior in Washington State. These programs are made possible by a grant from Humanities Washington. You can read an interview with Scott Woodward here: The Bull Moose and the Evergreen State
Two of presentations take place this weekend, FREE to the public. On Friday, September 11, at 4 p.m., Woodward will be at the Steilacoom branch of the Pierce County Library, followed by an appearance at the Shelton Timberland Library on Saturday, September 12, at 2 p.m. (Click on library links for directions.) Although he has no programs scheduled during the month of October, they resume in November. You can see the dates and locations on the Humanities Washington website's calendar and events page.
Scott Woodward
"This program has traveled to communities all across Washington State," Woodward said, "met with receptive, appreciative and inquisitive audiences. It has been my pleasure to share this story in my home state."
Woodward's multimedia presentations incorporate narrative and images on history and anthropology, and even include music. His fascination with Theodore Roosevelt is contagious, and you might find your self equally captivated by TR's ability to bring people of all kinds together as Americans, regardless of their political views.
"It has been a very rewarding tour with the Humanities Washington Wilderness Warrior program," Woodward said. "Most audiences are fascinated with how a politician could get things done crossing all party lines and tie the state together both east and west, and the country for that matter. It certainly would be a breath of fresh air if we could do that today."
Theodore Roosevelt in Bremerton, 1903
All photos were provided by Scott Woodward. Please watch for reminders of upcoming programs by Woodward to be presented on the east side of the state. You might also like to know about the Theodore Roosevelt Association. Thank for reading Good Life Northwest and visiting the blog's Facebook page.
Theodore Roosevelt would have loved Earth Day, to a point. Unlike most of us who just "talk the talk," he would have spent this day actively doing something about saving wilderness or wildlife or fighting against powerful extraction industries that ravage the land out of greed.
I am reading Douglas Brinkley's latest book, "The Quiet World - Saving Alaska's Wilderness Kingdom 1879-1960" and now I realize, with a sad heart, how little has changed since the end of the 19th century when politicians and businessmen who had never even seen Alaska pictured it as a frigid wasteland with nothing to offer but natural resources for the taking, to make men rich. And men did get rich, first through fish and timber, then gold and oil. I'm sorry to say that mining interests based in Tacoma at that time played a big part in the devastation.
Roosevelt worked tirelessly for conservation and in spite of the obstacles of battle, accomplished amazing things in terms of setting aside land for wildlife preserves, parks, and wilderness areas. But almost immediately after his death on January 6, 1919, the enemies of his goals stepped in and tried to overturn all he had done.
No longer did the cause of conservation celebrate White House leadership. In "The Quiet World," Brinkley quotes President Wilson as saying, "Alaska as a storehouse, should be unlocked." And in the summer of 1923, President Harding sailed from Tacoma aboard the SS Henderson, to visit Alaska in the wake of new excitement over oil drilling, after his executive order changed 23 million acres of wilderness from having protected status to being an oil reserve.
I thought about all these events, starting over a century ago, and asked myself what Roosevelt would think about where things stand now. At the same time, I received a press release from Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology concerning the anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil well leak in the Gulf of Mexico. I think I'll let the video speak for itself.
In the spirit of Theodore Roosevelt, let's carry on with the dream of nature as it was meant to be. For as TR believed, only through experiencing wilderness can mankind truly experience freedom.
I live in Tacoma in the year 2010, but lately I've been obsessed with a particular day here, from over a century ago. It was May 22, 1903, the day President Theodore Roosevelt's private train pulled into the station and the sound of a 21 gun salute thundered over the waters of Commencement Bay, just as he stepped down from his rail car. Shortly after that moment, Roosevelt's lavishly decorated carriage rolled through town toward Wright Park and it seemed everyone was determined to get a glimpse of the president. A reporter for The Daily Ledger, described in exactly these words, the sight of "spanking northwesterners above the housetops, or dipping from every window." Back then you would only have to spend a nickel on the newspaper, in order to read about the event if you missed it.
I'm aware of the details of this day in history because I'm editing a book written by local author Michele Bryant. This gorgeous volume filled with photos, including many rare ones, will be published soon to benefit the Theodore Roosevelt Association. It documents Roosevelt's several visits to Washington State beginning with his first in 1903. Bryant is one of many Puget Sound writers we'll be especially grateful for in the future, because they are preserving our local history.
Did you ever feel the urge to do the same, to write down what you know, or the stories told by your parents and grandparents? Maybe your family is lucky enough to own artifacts with great stories behind them, like this modest example of Northwest Native American basket weaving from the Makah tribe. My grandfather bought it at the Pike Place Market in the 1920s, from the Makah woman who made it, and I grew up with this basket in our home. Do you have your own special family stories, or want to record the events and life experiences that took place in your community long ago, before they're lost forever? If so, please read on. It's easier than you think to preserve and share your local history, and you don't even need to write a book. There are other, less time-consuming ways to publish and disseminate this information.
I interviewed writers from Everett to Olympia for an article published just this week, on a website called Neighborhood Life, the second of two I've had published there, on the topic of local history. The first featured Pierce County historian Andy Anderson, and his book "In the Shadow of the Mountain." This second article focuses on other ways to see your writing in print, through museums, historical societies, brochures and newsletters, on the web, and places you've never thought of. It contains useful insights and advice offered by authorities such as,
Drew Crooks, historian and author from Thurston County,
Joe Follansbee, local journalist and Senior Editor of Fyddeye, a website about maritime history. He's also the author of "Ship Builders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona."
If you do decide to do this kind of writing, please do so responsibly. Carefully check and document what you represent as fact. Be exact with the details, dates, the spelling of names. It matters. There is nothing more upsetting than seeing published material concerning your own family or community that you know to be incorrect. Remember your obligation to future generations, and especially to the truth.
Now go call your Grandma and ask her to tell those stories again. Better yet, ask her about things she's never discussed before.
Watch out though. If you catch "local history fever" it can last a lifetime. To read the article "Writing Local History - Options for Publication and Dissemination" please click here. Makah basket photos courtesy of Robert Dickhoff.
