President Theodore Roosevelt, a member of the Mason's Matineock Lodge in Oyster Bay, took part in many cornerstone laying events. He laid the cornerstone of the Wesley Methodist Church in East Norwich, (now known as the Community United Methodist Church); he laid the cornerstone of the Oyster Bay Public Library and he laid the cornerstone for the Nassau County Courthouse.

On July 13, 1900, the then-Governor of New York, Theodore Roosevelt, laid a three-foot-long granite cornerstone at the northeast corner of the building, once considered to be one of the finest buildings in the state. It remained the center of Nassau County government until the beginning of World War II.

On Wednesday, Feb. 27, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the newly restored Old Courthouse in Mineola, that was renamed the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building. The goal of the project, which began in May of 2002, was to restore the Old Courthouse in its entirety and rededicate it as the centerpiece of the county seat. Located at 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, the ceremony was scheduled for 11 a.m.

The renovation improved the building's infrastructure, abated hazardous materials, and preserved and restored the building's historic architecture, which includes a gilded rotunda and murals depicting historic local events. The murals were designed by Robert Gaston Herbert of Sea Cliff and commissioned by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression.

In addition, the building also now includes a new legislative and administrative wing that will provide ready access for the county's constituents and provide efficient working areas for the legislative and executive branches of county government.

Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States was the 33rd Governor of New York State. The Manuscripts and Special Collections Unit of the New York State Library includes information about TR as governor, a position he held from 1899 to 1900. According to the collection, "Roosevelt became governor of New York on January 1, 1899, and served with his usual energy and integrity. He was able to get some very progressive legislation made into law, including the most advanced civil service reform law in the nation, and laws aimed at improving the conditions in the tenement sweatshops, strengthening factory inspection procedures, and supporting the eight-hour day law for children and women.

"Being governor did not seem to use enough of his boundless energy, so he wrote two books during his first year in office: his classic Rough Riders and his biography of Oliver Cromwell. He also continued his heavy schedule of speechmaking and ceremonial occasions as these two letters to Col. George C. Treadwell, his military secretary, indicate.

"His relations with the press were relaxed and generally cordial. Every day that he was in Albany he met twice with the capitol press corps and, while answering their questions, he regaled them with anecdotes and gossip. The gossip was understood by the corps to be not for publication and this was enforced by immediate exile from the Governor's office!"

The NYS archives continued with more information about Governor TR. "Roosevelt attempted to reform government agencies during his term as governor much as he had done as police commissioner in New York City and later as president.

"In this letter to Eugene A. Philbin, district attorney in New York City, he discusses appointments to the board of trustees of the New York Soldiers and Sailors Home in Bath, New York. Famed General Daniel Sickles was one of the trustees of that institution and TR, against the wishes of the board, was attempting to reform its administration."

The letter included as part of the Lyle Squair Collection includes many letters of Roosevelt and his family in the NYS Archives (SC22110).

In March 3, 1900, TR wrote to the Hon. Eugene A. Philbin, at #111 Bway, New York City. The letter states:

My dear Mr. Philbin:--

"I thank you for your letter of the 2nd inst in reference to the Bath Soldiers Home investigation. I am very glad to learn that I shall get the report in time to take into account its recommendations in making my nomination to the Senate.

I was much amused at General Sickles letter to you. It showed the qualities which have ruined his usefulness as a Manager of the Institution. One fairly comic feature was his misunderstanding as to why I wished a preliminary report. He was actually unable to see that instead of its being a move in the interests of the trustees, it was to prevent such delay as would insure the retention in office of the present trustees until after the meeting of the legislature in January next.

With great regard and congratulations upon the way you have been performing your task, I am,

Faithfully yours,

[signed, Theodore Roosevelt]

The collection also has a manuscript of The Rough Riders, by TR, with annotations made by the author. The NYS Archives state:

"Roosevelt's successful campaigns in the Spanish-American War provided both a major boost to his campaign for governor of New York State in 1899 and the raw material for the publication of what was to be his most profitable book, Rough Riders. The book was originally written to be published as installments in Scribner's Magazine with book publication to follow. He received a substantial payment for each installment and the book was the best seller of all his works.

"Written in his first year in office as governor, the book tells the story of the regiment which TR recruited and led throughout the campaign in Cuba. Although it is undoubtedly a memoir about TR more than anything else (Mr. Dooley, the comic Irishman created by Finley Peter Dunne, said that the book ought to be called Alone in Cuba!), it is also an exciting tale of battlefield courage by a motley group of men, who could tell stories of their lives in mining camps, cattle-ranges, Indian wars, "lawless deeds of violence" and "brawls in saloons."

[The book is remarkable in that it shows TR as an embedded reporter with an eye for detail and the ability to record what was happening to the men in his Rough Rider group, by name, and provides a view of his life within the Army demonstrating his take charge style of living.]

The original manuscript for Rough Riders was acquired by the New York State Library in 1942 as part of the Gotshall Collection and is one of only two complete book manuscripts of Roosevelt still extant. Throughout the typescript, which was dictated by TR, can be found his handwritten annotations and changes. A page from the book is available for viewing on the NYS Archives Internet site.