She’s Regarded As The First Wild Child Of The White House, Known For Defying Social Norms For Women And Her Carefree Attitude

Have you ever thought about some former U.S. Presidents’ children and wondered if they got away with typical teenage or childhood shenanigans? Like what happens when the president’s kids misbehave or act up during their time in the White House?
There was one iconic ‘first kid’ who refused to follow social norms, even when her father became the president. It was Alice Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s eldest daughter.
Alice Roosevelt was a fascinating woman who, during her father’s presidency, became almost as popular and talked about as him for her antics and headstrong personality.
Alice was born to Theodore and his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee, in 1884. Sadly, Alice’s mother passed away days after giving birth to her due to undetected kidney failure. After her mother’s passing, Alice’s relationship with Theodore would be forever altered.
Historians say Theodore was so distraught by any reminders of his late wife that he couldn’t even call Alice by her name since it was her mother’s. Therefore, he often called her ‘Baby Lee.’ Although he wasn’t always with his daughter, letters from Theodore prove he did care for her dearly.
Alice spent many of her childhood years raised by her aunt, Anna, in New York while her father traveled. Her aunt helped her become an outspoken and strong young woman.
Alice became more rebellious when Theodore married his second wife, Edith Carow. They moved to Oyster Bay, Long Island, and had five children together. Alice and Edith had a strained relationship, as Edith was insecure about Theodore’s love for his late wife and took those feelings out on Alice.
Alice’s lack of time with her father and tension with her stepmother caused her to grow into an independent young woman determined to do what she wanted.
As Alice entered her teenage years, she became outspoken about her views against marriage and took pride in being a single young woman who could hold her own. This led her to become the subject of certain magazines and local gossip. When Theodore began his presidency in 1901, Alice didn’t suppress herself, her personality, or her beliefs.

Jbyard – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Alice quickly started gaining media attention once she was a ‘First Child.’ The public was fascinated by teenage Alice’s social life and carefree attitude in one of the country’s most esteemed buildings – the White House.
It’s said Alice would wander around the White House with several exotic pets in her possession, including a green pet snake named Emily Spinach. She wasn’t permitted to smoke inside the White House, so she would climb up to the roof and proudly smoke on top of it.
She attended hundreds of balls and parties, flirted, wore pants, and became the talk of the town as she defied many social norms for women her age.
In her later years, Alice once declared herself a “hedonist” and stated she loved being entertained.
While some conservatives were appalled by Alice’s nature and attitude, many young women in America were inspired by her and how she dared to be different, fueling their desire for the women’s suffrage movement.
In 1905, Alice was invited on a diplomatic delegation and joined White House officials on an imperial cruise, where she met and fell in love with her future husband, Congressman Nicholas Longworth.
They married in 1906 when she was 22. She wore an iconic blue wedding dress and cut her wedding cake with a sword. They lived together in Washington, D.C., and carried out official duties while Theodore remained president.
Not even Alice’s marriage was traditional, as while she and Nicholas stayed together until he passed in 1931, they remained party lovers and had their own affairs.
They had a daughter together named Paulina, who had a daughter of her own named Joanna. Alice became Joanna’s caring guardian after Paulina died of an overdose in the 1950s.
After Theodore’s presidency ended, Alice remained involved and vocal about politics, never losing her strong and independent attitude. She never remarried after Nicholas died and became a strong supporter of several famous presidents and candidates, such as Robert F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
Alice stayed in Washington, D.C., up until she passed away after years of declining health at 96 in 1980. Alice surely was a fascinating woman and a well-remembered historical figure who will always be known as the spunky, ‘wild child’ of the White House.
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