The Rough Riders were America’s first all volunteer cavalry comprised of Native Americans, college athletes, cowboys, and ranchers sent to Cuba to defend U.S. interests in the Spanish American War of 1898 .  A large sugar kettle sat prominently at the base of the hill and served as a marker for the Rough Riders and the hill’s eventual name.  At Kettle Hill we honor the athleticism of the Rough Riders and salute them as great American sportsmen.