Theodore Roosevelt, "Scout Citizen" - San Antonio, TX 78210 - Scouts Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com

This monument of native porous limestone and cement, with a bronze plaque was placed and dedicated in the same area where Theodore Roosevelt literally set up camp for recruiting men from San Antonio and the surrounding area to join the Army as a volunteer cavalry unit at the beginning of the Spanish American War. It was this unit that made the famous charge up San Juan Hill which turned the battle in favor of the US Army and made Theodore Roosevelt a national hero. Roosevelt then went on to become the President of the United States.

It is found on the front of the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind's Activity Center at 2300 Roosevelt Ave., facing toward Roosevelt Ave. Both the SA Lighthouse and this citizen memorial to Roosevelt were respectively founded and built in 1933. The plaque reads as follows:

In Memory of
Theodore Roosevelt
"Scout Citizen"

Who organized the
Rough Riders in this
vicinity May 1898

Dedicated by
Alamo Area Council
Boy Scouts of America
October27, 1933

In May 1898, Theodore Roosevelt spent many weeks in the San Antonio area recruiting volunteers into the US Army to form a Cavalry unit in preparation for the Spanish-American War. At this point in time, Teddy Roosevelt was already well known as an energetic, highly intelligent, and charismatic man who loved adventures and the outdoors as much as he did politics and academics. He had not yet gained the national nor international fame and popularity he would gain during and after the Spanish-American War effort for which he was in San Antonio to support and promote.

By this time, Roosevelt had already been recognized as an expert naturalist, having published an extensive scientific book on birds. He had also published a book on the War of 1812 that was used as a college text book. He had also just begun his career in politics, having recently resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to take up the crusade for freeing Cuba from Spanish rule and giving Cuba its independence. It was while he was the commanding officer of the Rough Riders that he lead a charge up San Juan Hill and managed to route the Spanish army which then lead to the ending of the war. Roosevelt was nationally known as a hero.
After this war, Theodore Roosevelt became the Governor of New York, then Vice President, and then President of the United States. He was the first US President to win the Nobel Peace Prize. After his political career ended, he went to Africa and discovered and charted an unknown but long river that was a major tributary to the Aripuana River. During this river's exploration he got very sick and nearly died. This newly found river was named in his honor.

The Alamo Area Council oversees the many Boy Scout Troops in a wide area around San Antonio and Bexar County. Because Roosevelt had such an impact on the US Army's effort to win the Spanish American War and for his life's work in impacting the US and the world, the Alamo Area Council Boy Scouts of America had this monument built and dedicated to a man who embodied what a good Scout should be like they honored Roosevelt as a "Scout Citizen."

To be relevant to today's terminology, what was referred to a a "Scout Citizen" in the 1930s when this honor was bestowed would translate in 2020 as a "Distinguished Citizen Award." The various Scout Councils offer these honors as a way to engage with the local community to maintain both community support and positive relationships with business and civic leaders.

Wikipedia link to summary of the volunteer unit of the Rough Riders
(visit link)

Wikipedia link to summary of the Roosevelt River in Africa:
(visit link)

Fleur-de-lis?: No Who placed the Monument or Memorial?: Alamo Area Council Boy Scouts of America

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/19/2020 WayBetterFinder visited it