Preserving a Poet’s Legacy: Summer Updates from the Friends of Theodore Roethke
At the Friends of Theodore Roethke Foundation (FOTR), we are committed to preserving the life, legacy, and literary contributions of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Theodore Roethke. Since our founding in 1999, we’ve striven to create spaces where poetry comes alive—through events, tours, workshops, and educational programming based out of the poet’s childhood home and the adjacent Stone House in Saginaw, Michigan.
These two historic homes are more than just buildings. They are the heart of our mission and living monuments to Roethke’s genius. And thanks to your support, this summer has been a season of exciting and much-needed improvements to both properties.
Roethke House Repairs and Restorations
The Roethke House, a designated National Literary Landmark, continues to undergo thoughtful restoration work to ensure it remains a welcoming and inspiring space for visitors. Thanks to funding from the Saginaw Community Foundation, we are completing critical maintenance projects on the Roethke House:
Interior renovations included insulating the first floor ceiling and installing new drywall on both the first and second floors, including the upstairs bathroom. We also framed a soffit in the dining room to enclose new plumbing lines to the basement.
Exterior updates began last fall with the complete rebuilding of the back porch stairs in October 2024.
This spring and summer, we tackled critical structural repairs, including rebuilding the front porch stairs, repairing the masonry, restoring basement windows on the west side, and clearing and repairing gutters and tuckpointing.
Before the end of summer, we plan to repair interior plaster, paint most of the home's exterior the exterior of the home, and freshen up the porch and stair surfaces to help protect the home for years to come.
Stone House Transformation Underway
Thanks to a generous grant from America250MI, our work at the neighboring Stone House has made great strides this summer:
We installed insulation, hung drywall throughout the interior, and made progress on the first-floor bathroom framing and electrical.
In the coming weeks, we will prime the newly installed drywall and complete the first-floor bathroom, adding another functional space for hosting community programs and visitors.
However, key areas—such as the kitchen—still require immediate attention, especially if the Stone House is to be safely opened to the public in the near future.
Our vision is for both the Roethke House and the Stone House to become globally recognized destinations for literary excellence. Every improvement brings us closer to that goal.
Help Us Reach the Finish Line
Thanks to generous support from the Saginaw Community Foundation and many of our partners and donors, we’ve been able to complete a significant portion of this year’s restoration projects.
But we’re not done yet.
We now face one last critical project: painting the exterior of the Roethke House, a necessary investment that will cost $21,000. While we’ve secured most of the funds, we need your help to raise the final $3,000.
If you believe in the power of poetry and the importance of providing meaningful cultural and educational experiences right here in our community, please consider making a donation today. Every dollar helps us restore and maintain the Roethke House and Stone House—not just as historic landmarks, but as vibrant spaces for workshops, readings, school visits, and public programs that make poetry accessible to all. With your support, we can ensure these homes continue to inspire learning, creativity, and connection for generations to come.
