Theodore Roosevelt's 126-year-old stolen pocket watch found on Long Island
LONG ISLAND - President Theodore Roosevelt's missing pocket watch was found after nearly forty years, according to the National Parks Service (NPS).
The beloved family heirloom belonging to the renowned American president was recovered by NPS special and FBI agents.
The watch had allegedly been stolen while on loan to a museum in Buffalo, New York, in 1987. It was last seen on public display there at the Wilcox House.
Park Service Director Chuck Sams announced Thursday that the watch had been returned.
"It is an honor to have a role in preserving American history for current and future generations to learn from," Sams said.
According to NPS, Roosevelt was known to travel with his silver pocket watch, including to places like San Juan Hill, Africa and down the Amazon River.
The watch is said to have been given to him by a family member in 1898.
"Recovering and returning this remarkable piece of presidential history, a cherished personal item of President Theodore Roosevelt, to its rightful home here at Sagamore Hill reflects the dedication and hard work of NPS and partners in the spirit of preservation," Director Sams said.
It is still unclear exactly how it was recovered or where it was found.
The pocket watch, originally gifted to the Park Service by the Roosevelt family in 1963, will remain in the permanent museum collection of Sagamore Hill National Historic Site.