Bell from the Roosevelt. The Roosevelt was Robert E. Peary’s ship when he was first to visit the North Pole on April 7, 1909. The Roosevelt took the Peary expedition to the edge of the ice about 410 miles from the North Pole. The Roosevelt led the parade of ships on July 4, 1917 through the Chittenden Locks (also known locally as the Ballard Locks) in Ballard.