It is located in Cove Neck, New York, near Oyster Bay on the North Shore of Long Island,[2] 25 miles (40 km) east of Manhattan.

A native of New York City, Theodore Roosevelt spent many summers of his youth on extended vacations with his family in the Oyster Bay area.

In 1880, 22-year-old Roosevelt purchased 155 acres (63 ha) of land for $30,000 (equal to $947,172 today) on Cove Neck, a small peninsula roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of the hamlet of Oyster Bay.

In 1884, Theodore Roosevelt hired the New York architectural firm of Lamb & Rich to design a shingle-style, Queen Anne home for the property.

The North Room is furnished with trophies from the former president's hunts and gifts from foreign dignitaries, alongside pieces of art and books from the Roosevelts' collection.

It played host to numerous visits from foreign dignitaries and peace talks that helped draw an end to the Russo-Japanese War.