Teddy Roosevelt's Summer White House, Sagamore Hill To Reopen After 4 Year Renovation

COVE NECK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- After 4 years under wraps and massive renovation, doors will open this weekend to Sagamore Hill, the Long Island home of President Theodore Roosevelt.

As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, the 1880s landmark is back in all its glory.

This weekend, the public can walk into the 130-year-old home of the presidential great after a $10-million renovation. Roosevelt made the 28-room Cove Neck mansion his summer White House. He was the first president with instant access via the newly invented telephone.

For its curator the renovation was a labor of love.

"The roof no longer leaks, we no longer have the threat of fire. I hope that the house will survive another 100 years," Susan Sarna said.

The National Parks Service painstakingly packed away 12,000 items, 8,000 books, dozens of hides, and mounts, while restoring from top to bottom.

They repaired 19th century windows, rehung wallpaper, cleaned artwork, refinished woodwork, and kept history intact.

"Throughout the house there are speaking tubes, the staff could communicate with each other, the family could make requests," Martin Christiansen of the National Park Service explained.

Modern touches include computerized temperature control, security, and electricity.

"Some of the wires were still original from 1918 when Theodore Roosevelt first put in electricity," Christiansen explained.

A group of lucky kids even got a sneak peak at the home of a New York governor who became our youngest president, broke monopolies, created food and drug oversight, championed conservation, fought battles, made Nobel Prize winning peace, and called Long Island home.

The grand opening is Sunday and thousands are expected for a good old fashioned celebration to welcome back a Long Island and national treasure.

Sagamore Hill opens for public tours starting Monday. Online reservations are accepted.