Emily Spinach

Emily Spinach was a garter snake owned by Alice Roosevelt, the president's daughter — named for her green color and her long, thin shape. She was one of the most unusual pets of the Roosevelt White House.

Theodore Roosevelt's children were famous for their collection of pets. There were dogs, cats, birds, a badger, a bear, a hyena, and a rat. But one of the most memorable was Emily Spinach, a garter snake belonging to the president's daughter Alice.

Alice Roosevelt was a bold and independent young woman — the 'it girl' of her era. She loved shocking people, and Emily Spinach was a perfect way to do it. She named the snake Emily (after an aunt) and Spinach (because of her green color). She would carry the snake around in her pocket or wrapped around her arm, delighting in the reactions of stuffy White House visitors.

Emily Spinach lived in the White House, where she was a notorious escape artist. Alice would let her slither around the mansion, and the snake would sometimes show up in unexpected places — startling maids, ambassadors, and cabinet members. The White House staff learned to keep an eye out for the green snake.

After the Roosevelt family left the White House in 1909, Emily Spinach went with them to their home in Oyster Bay, New York. She remained a beloved (if slithery) part of the family, remembered as the snake who made Washington's high society squirm.