Joe Wiegand, regarded as the country’s best Theodore Roosevelt impersonator, will bring his show to the Carriage House of the Lincoln County Historical Society, 545 SW Ninth St., Newport, at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 16.
The program is free and open to the public. Audience members are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch. Beverages and cookies will be served. The program is sponsored by Wells Fargo and the Oregon Historical Society and hosted by the Lincoln County Historical Society.
“Teddy” Roosevelt was the 26th president of the United States (1901-1909). He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his cowboy personality and robust masculinity. He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the first incarnation of the short-lived Progressive or “Bull Moose” Party of 1912. Before becoming president, he held offices at the city, state, and federal levels.
Roosevelt’s achievements as a naturalist, explorer, hunter, author, and soldier are as much a part of his fame as his political achievements. Roosevelt was 42 years old when sworn in as president of the United States, making him the youngest elected president. Roosevelt was also the first of only three sitting presidents to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Wiegand is a political science graduate of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. He was a Harry S. Truman scholar and Thomas Watson Fellow in his college days. After a 25-year career in politics and public policy, Wiegand began to tour the country as Theodore Roosevelt. In 2008, to celebrate Roosevelt’s 150th birthday, Wiegand toured the 50 states. Their travels culminated with a performance in the
East Room of the White House for President and Mrs. Bush on Roosevelt’s birthday.
