Alice Roosevelt
Alice Lee Roosevelt was born on February 12, 1884, the first and only child born to Theodore Roosevelt and Alice Hathaway Lee. After her mother’s death, Alice, known as “Baby Lee,” lived with her aunt, Anna “Bamie” Roosevelt, while her father started a ranching venture in the Dakota Territory. Once Theodore remarried and moved back to Oyster Bay, Alice moved in with him and his new wife, Edith Kermit Carow, at Sagamore Hill. Two years later, she was joined by Edith and Theodore’s first child, Theodore Jr. She was then referred to as “Sister” by her father and all of her siblings.
During her childhood Alice contracted a form of non-paralitic polio that required her to wear leg braces. Edith was instrumental in keeping Alice focused on her exercises that gave her the strength to recover.
The condition was not publicly disclosed by the family at the time, but it impacted her early life.
In 1900 after visiting friends Alice came home with loose front teeth and an abscess. Edith thought she might have gotten kicked in the jaw horsing around at a dance. Edith rushed Alice to Roosevelt Hospital. They wanted to remove the teeth, but Edith insisted they stay. She didn’t want Alice to make her debut with dentures. One of the teeth eventually died and discolored. Alice would later correct the cosmetics.
When her father became president in 1901 Alice delighted in the spotlight. Washington papers consistently wrote about her adventures and antics. Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as saying, “I can do one of two things. I can be President of the United States or I can control Alice Roosevelt. I cannot possibly do both.” While her father and stepmother disagreed with her behavior, the American public fell in love with her.
In 1906, Alice married Republican Representative Nicholas Longworth of Ohio. They lived in Washington, D.C. Alice took a front row seat to politics and became close with many of the Republicans and other politicians. She frequently voiced her political opinion and in the 1930s spoke out against her cousins Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Because of her strong opinions and colorful personality, she came to be known as “the other Washington Monument.”
Alice had one child, Paulina Longworth and wrote a memoir titled Crowded Hours. Throughout her life she continued to meet powerful men and women, hosted meetings, and wrote newspaper columns out of her Washington, D.C. home. She is remembered for her quick wit and ever present humor. She died on February 20, 1980 at the age of 96. She’s buried in Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Alice The Gibson Girl
At the turn of the 20th Century Gibson Girls symbolized American fashion, sophistication, charm, jealousy and beauty. They were the center of attention an aspect of life that fit Alice Roosevelt’s personality. In photographs Alice seems to be imitating the look and style of Evelyn Nesbit who was the country’s first Super Model. The two were the same age with similar features and similar temperaments.
Evelyn starred in Floro Dora, the first successful Broadway musical. She appeared in Coca Cola ads and made the cover of nearly every magazine that hit the newsstand. She was alluring and mischievous and for a time she was seen in the company of the renowned architect Stanford White.
White built the Washington Square Arch and the second Madison Square Garden on 26th street. He had an apartment in the city and a summer home in St. James, Long Island. He was 31 years older than Nesbit. He was rich, famous and married, but above all he was a man who knew how to throw a party.
On May 20th, 1895, he staged an event where a girl popped out of a pie surrounded by a flock of canaries. At the party was Charles Dana Gibson, Nickola Tesla and Theodore Roosevelt’s friend Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
White began helping the 16-year-old find modeling work. Soon rumors spread White was engaging in inappropriate behavior. It was no secret that in his get-a-way apartment “The Snuggery” White had a red velvet swing he liked to watch Evelyn ride. He was eventually accused of stealing Evelyn’s innocence.
After an embarrassing trial the two separated but remained social friends. In 1905 Nesbit married the eccentric millionaire Henry Thaw who had a reputation for violence and insanity.
On June 25th, 1906, White was at a table in Madison Square Garden when he was approached by Henry Thaw. While a crooner sang “I Could Love a Million Girls” Thaw took out a revolver, pointed it at White and shouted, “You ruined my wife.” He fired three times killing White instantly.
In February 1906 Alice’s marriage to Nicolas Longworth made her the talk of the town until she was upstaged by Evelyn Nesbit who made front page news as the key witness in the Crime of the Century. When it was over Evelyn was more recognizable than the First Lady, Edith Roosevelt.
Alice's hand drawn diagram of her bedroom at Sagamore Hill.
