The Roosevelt Cottage Roosevelt Campobello International Park Campobello Island New Brunswick, Canada FD.R.'s Beloved Island In the 1880s and 1890s, well-to-do families from New York, "We left in the Half Moon at 10:30. ..We had to use the engine sailing and picnicking time together. But during this first extended Boston, Philadelphia, Ottawa and Montreal escaped to and went far up into South Bay between the islands and landed for summer at Campobello in more than a decade, Franklin ran a Franklin D. Roosevelt - as a child, a young man, and a Campobello by private yacht, steamship, and train. (The best way lunch...we did some canoeing before returning at three, getting home high fever and his legs suddenly grew weak. "My left leg lagged," he President - spent many enjoyable vacations on Campobello to reach Campobello from New York and Boston was to take a at five." recalled. "Presently it refused to work, and then the other..." At the Island in New Brunswick's Bay of Fundy. His early associations train to Portland or Bar Harbor and travel the rest of the way by When the Roosevelt children were young, they generally age of 39, he had contracted infantile paralysis (polio). Polio, a with Canada were reinforced by later close ties with MacKenzie steamship.) Enjoying their vacations at Campobello's hotels, had lessons in the morning and spent the afternoon playing recurring epidemic throughout the first half of the 20th century, King, formed when the two leaders led their nations during World several families purchased land and built summer cottages. games, horseback riding, and "messing around" in boats. Other was an infectious viral disease that could paralyze its victims. War II. Today, FDR's magnificent 34-room summer home is the James Roosevelt, his wife Sara, and one year old son Franklin land-based outdoor activities included golf, tennis, picnics, After five weeks of almost total immobility, FDR was carried off centre of a unique example of international cooperation - the Delano Roosevelt first visited Campobello in 1883. That same swimming, bicycling, hiking, shooting, and watching birds and the island on a stretcher. A waiting boat took him to Eastport, Roosevelt Campobello International Park. year James purchased a partially-completed house and 1.6 hectares other life from the pathways or along the shore. As evenings where he was put aboard a train for New York. The 1,134-hectare park is a joint memorial established by of land. By the summer of 1885, the house was finished and the could be cool and days foggy, indoor activities played an important FDR's love for the island and his long association with its Canada and the United States, administered by the Roosevelt Roosevelts became summer residents. (The site of James' and role in the summer routine. FDR spent time working on his stamp people left a lasting impression, and although Eleanor and the five Campobello International Park Commission as a symbol of the Sara's cottage, no longer standing, is just north of the FDR collection; the children played games; Eleanor knitted, wrote children continued to visit Campobello during the summers, his close relationship between the two countries. Within the Park's summer home.) letters, and read. In the evenings, she regularly read aloud to the convalescence and active involvement in politics prevented his historic core are the cottage and the grounds where Franklin The Campobello Company's hotels flourished for a time; children and guests. Dancing at the club house, evening parties return. He served four years as Governor of New York State Roosevelt vacationed. In the Natural Area are the woods, bogs, however, the resort era was doomed - partly by World War I, for the children, such as hay rides and taffy pulls, were other (1929-1933) and ran for president against Herbert Hoover. and beaches where he tramped, and just offshore are the waters partly by the fact summer-long vacations became impractical, enjoyments. Franklin and Eleanor and their young family loved Campaigning vigorously and promising a "new deal for the where he sailed and relaxed. In FDR's affections, Campobello and most certainly by the coming of the automobile and its Campobello, though FDR's growing political responsibilities American people", FDR was elected in a landslide. The "New Island ranked second only to Hyde Park. Campobello was his accompanying freedom of movement. Although the Roosevelts soon limited his visits to a few days at a time. Deal" profoundly changed the U.S. by introducing social security "beloved island." and several other American families built summer homes on the Polio and unemployment insurance, price supports for farmers, a Why the Roosevelt Family island, residential land sales (like hotel attendance) ultimately minimum wage for workers, insurance for bank deposits, and In 1920, Franklin campaigned for the vice-presidency in the fell short of the company's expectations. From its beginnings in regulation of the stock market. presidential election. When the Democratic ticket was defeated, Came to Campobello 1881 until the hotels had all closed by 1910, Campobello's After his polio attack, Franklin did not return to Campobello he took charge of the New York office of the Fidelity and Deposit Although visitors had been coming to Campobello since summer trade lasted about 30 years. for nearly twelve years, and then for only three visits: in 1933, Company of Maryland as a vice-president. By August of 1921, he 1855, it wasn't until a group of Boston and New York businessmen 1936, and 1939. While these visits were few and brief, FDR FDR and Campobello looked forward to a good rest at his beloved Campobello. When bought most of the island in 1881 that Campobello's summer retained his love for the island and its people, and drew strength Wlien Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in whose memory the Park was FDR arrived, he and the family plunged into a wild and whooping, trade prospered. Campobello's new owners, the "Campobello from his visits and from his happy memories of Campobello. Company", constructed three large hotels and leased them to created, came to Campobello as a child, it was to pursue the orderly private management. The company hoped to use Campobello's summer adventures available to a well-to-do Victorian family. When Establishment of the Park scenic charms to lure guests to the island, and to eventually sell he came as a young husband, whose third son was born on the island, With the signing of an international treaty on January 22, them land for summer homes. The 1880s were the years of great it was to taste the excitements of childhood from the perspective of 1964, President Lyndon Johnson and Prime Minister Lester summer resorts, and wealthy people with extensive leisure time manhood and to pass on to his children the same challenges and Pearson created the Roosevelt Campobello International Park as flocked to resorts to enjoy long summer vacations. rewards he had known. And finally, when he came as President of the a memorial to President Roosevelt. The park is a tangible symbol Both the Canadian and American press advertised United States, it was to take new strength and composure from of the enduring friendship between Canada and the United Campobello as a summer resort. Hotel brochures promoted Campobello's air and land, from the sea around it, and from the States. It is Canadian soil that has become part of America's unequaled boating (fishing, sailing, rowing, canoeing with memories of ease his "beloved island" awoke in him. heritage, preserved for the future through the commitment of the Passamaquoddy Indian guides), enjoyable excursions by land and - Edmund S. Muskie May 1, 1975 citizens and governments of both countries. sea, and relief from hay fever. A favourable climate and the From 1883, when Franklin was one year old, until he was In its forty-seat theatre, the Park's Visitor Centre offers the natural air-conditioning provided by the ocean were major stricken by polio in 1921, he spent most of his summers on this introductory video Beloved Island, a portrait of the island and its attractions. rugged and beautiful island on Passamaquoddy Bay. As a young impact on Franklin Roosevelt. Historic photographs, artifacts, "The climate of the island is the most important of its features. Its man, the energetic, athletic father taught his children sailing and text, and audio presentations in the "Roosevelts on Campobello" position is such as to insure it an absolute immunity from the excessive other pastimes he learned during his childhood on Campobello. exhibit interpret the Roosevelt story from the time FDR and his heats of summer .... The extensive forests of balsamic firs seem to He organized hiking expeditions along the cliffs and thrilled the parents first visited Campobello through his battle with polio, his affect the atmosphere of this region, causing a quiet of the nervous children with games of hare-and-hounds and paper chases. presidency, and the establishment of the Park. A second exhibit, system and inviting to sleep." Campobello became as much a part of the lives of his five children "A Legacy of Friendship", highlights the remarkable closeness Brochure TY'N-Y-COED, circa 1890 as it had been of his. and cooperation that exist between Canada and the United Brochures also touted the island's abundant scenic beauty. Sailing was the most important part of the Campobello States, focusing on the Canadian-United States shared heritage, "The island . has great natural beauty - bold cliffs and headlands, summer. The Roosevelts enjoyed day-sailing (often picnicking on the unique spirit of cooperation between the countries on trade, and occasional pebbly beaches on the shores.