The Return of Theodore Roosevelt's Stolen Pocket Watch

A silver pocket watch, once a cherished possession of President Theodore Roosevelt, has been returned to its rightful place at Sagamore Hill, his Long Island home, after being stolen in 1987. The watch, a gift from Roosevelt's sister and her husband in 1898, was taken from an unlocked display case at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo, New York. For 36 years, its whereabouts remained a mystery until it resurfaced at a Florida auction house last year, prompting federal agents to seize it. During a ceremony on Thursday, the National Park Service and the FBI celebrated the watch's return, with Roosevelt's great-grandson, Tweed Roosevelt, expressing his emotional connection to the artifact. He described the event as a restoration of a piece of his great-grandfather's spirit, emphasizing the watch's significance beyond its material value. The watch was brought to Blackwell Auctions in Clearwater, Florida, by an art dealer who was unaware of its stolen status. Auction house owner Edwin Bailey initially doubted its authenticity despite the engraving. He later learned that the dealer had passed away, leaving the watch's origins shrouded in uncertainty. Bailey recalled a passage from Roosevelt's 1914 book, suggesting that the watch had accompanied the president on various adventures. Bailey expressed his satisfaction in seeing the watch returned to its historical context, noting its importance as a treasured item belonging to a prominent American figure. The watch's journey from theft to recovery highlights the enduring legacy of Theodore Roosevelt and the significance of preserving historical artifacts.