HISTORY

One of the best ways to experience the era of the early 1930s through the end of World War II is to visit the lifelong home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the United States’ thirty-second president (1933-1945) and the only one elected to four terms.

The past can be emotionally difficult self-guided, interactive, and accessible tour of on the characters of people who staffed the to revisit, especially when it’s a time of high the Roosevelt Presidential Library and Mu- home, such as Johnny, one of FDR’s Secret unemployment; millions of home foreclo- seum as a result of the $35 million renovation Service agents; Robert, the butler; and Mary, sures; a long, global war; and great income over more than a three-year period—the first the cook. Val-Kill’s new program, “Cottage disparities. Post-2007 America? No. 1933 renovation of the building since it opened to Conversations,” is organized around themed America. Because of the similarities of that the public in 1941. subjects of Eleanor’s life and scheduled with era and the first decade of the twenty-first tea and cookies served on the same china El- century, historians have realized the reso- New exhibits, installed with $6 million in pri- eanor used. “At Your Service,” staged at Van- nance between the two time periods. vate funds raised by the , derbilt Mansion, is an interactive, behind- tell the story of the Roosevelt presidency be- the-scenes tour designed for visitors who’ve One of the best ways to experience the era ginning in the depths of the Great Depression already been through the mansion and want of the early 1930s through the end of World and continuing through the years to take on the role of a servant. All of the new War II is to visit the lifelong home of Frank- and World War II with an emphasis on both programs are free but require reservations lin D. Roosevelt, the United States’ thirty- Franklin and ’s relationship because of limited numbers on each tour. second president (1933-1945) and the only with the American people. Immersive audio- one elected to four terms. Seeing films and visual theaters and rarely seen artifacts bring Gas-free Getaway for Visitors to documentaries—such as the very popular the story to a new generation. Hyde Park public television series on FDR, First Lady The Roosevelt Ride, a free shuttle on a hybrid photo | , Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, W.D. Urbin Eleanor Roosevelt, and their family—helps The FDR Presidential Library’s new museum bus (reservations required), takes visitors bring the past alive; but it is no substitute for experience is more accessible to people with from the Poughkeepsie Train Station (served personally visiting their Hyde Park estate, disabilities and language barriers: State-of- by Metro North Railroad from ’s which breathes life into the historical figures. the-art exhibits depict FDR’s heroic struggle Grand Central Station) to the four major his- to regain his strength and political career toric sites mentioned above, which are part The Roosevelt National Historic Site in New after polio. Tactile exhibits enhance the visi- of the National Park Service in the Hudson on the Hudson York—a two-hour drive north of Manhat- tor experience for children and visitors with River Valley. For driving visitors to any of tan—comprises several sites, including FDR’s impaired vision. The library also includes a the area’s NPS sites, the free shuttle makes it THE ROOSEVELTS OF HYDE PARK ancestral home, Springwood, and the FDR bilingual audio tour using current and devel- easy to access the four major sites in one full text: MARTHA STEGER photography: AS NOTED Presidential Library and Museum; Eleanor oping technologies to bring the story of the day, as it makes loops to all sites; but visitors The Roosevelt National Historic Site in New York offers history Roosevelt’s home, Val-Kill Cottage; and FDR’s Roosevelts to more diverse audiences. The should plan their day carefully because the buffs and tourists a firsthand look into the homes of the Roosevelts, including Val-Kill Cottage and Springwood. retreat, Top Cottage, which he designed in outstanding photographic exhibit, The Roos- shuttle makes only one trip daily to Vander- 1938 as a fully accessible retreat to accom- evelts: Public Figures, Private Lives, continues bilt mansion and three trips to Val-Kill and modate his wheelchair. Nearby is Vanderbilt through 2014 at the library. to Top Cottage. Mansion National Historic Site, included on the Roosevelt Ride ticket to help visitors ex- Also new in 2013 have been pilot tour pro- Begin at the Wallace Visitors Center, named plore the context of the Gilded Age’s social grams at three of the Hyde Park sites, which for FDR’s Secretary of Agriculture who went and economic history. ended in early October but resume in May on to become vice president in Roosevelt’s 2014: Springwood features costumed inter- third term as president. Here visitors see an New in 2013 preters, National Park Service guides who orientation video and can purchase tickets, This past summer saw the opening of a new, once a month wear period dress and take which should be reserved in advance. The

18 AL 19 photo | National Park Service, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, W.D. Urbin photos | National Park Service, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, W.D. Urbin room house are original to the home lends a feeling of authenticity, making the history feel less long ago and far away.

The main hall reflects the period June 1939 when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England (the first reigning British mon- archs to visit the United States) crossed the threshold to stay at the mansion. The Roos- evelts formally entertained all guests in the Dresden Room, though the family liked to gather in the more casual Living Room/ Library. Here, too, Roosevelt pursued his hobbies, poring over his stamp collection and building ship models.

Upstairs are the Birth Room, with the bed in which he was born; and his Boyhood Bed- room, later used by each of his sons in turn. King George VI and Prime Minister , among other notables, stayed in Touring the home is a other rooms off the same hall. The bedroom time-travel experience, FDR used as president remains as it was dur- especially if one can take a ing his last stay in March 1945, shortly before first-person tour. The fact his death. He loved this room partly because of the beautiful view across the south lawn that all furnishings in the and down the . thirty-five-room house are original to the home lends Eleanor had an adjoining, small bedroom a feeling of authenticity, used for a study, as she stayed with FDR making the history feel less whenever he was at home. She never consid- long ago and far away. ered Springwood “home,” as it belonged to orientation takes you back to the beginning to the Rose Garden, where Eleanor and her mother-in-law, who reluctantly approved of Springwood, the estate, Franklin are buried in a simple, marble crypt. of the marriage and whose bedroom adjoined in the 1640s. Generations of Roosevelts were He planted many of the estate’s grounds’ spe- hers. Clearly, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt—a From the Visitors Center, a born and raised here. A map depicted in mo- cies of trees, eventually turning large por- distant cousin of FDR and one who was edu- short stroll leads to the Rose saic on the floor shows how expansive the tions of the property into an experimental cated in England after the early deaths of her Garden, where Eleanor and estate was at the time of FDR’s death in 1945: forestry station. parents—was different from other New York spanning 1,520 acres, it stretched from the Franklin are buried in a debutantes he had dated. Hudson River to Top Cottage, seven miles Scott Rector, Hyde Park’s NPS chief of inter- simple, marble crypt. He long and one-quarter mile wide. Roosevelt pretation, says, “We believe that some of the Eleanor’s Val-Kill planted many of the estate’s donated his home and thirty-three acres to seeds germinated here for his New Deal pro- Just as the war-weary Franklin in 1944 longed grounds’ species of trees, the American people in 1943, with the condi- grams. For example, it’s not far-fetched to see for home when he said, “All that is within eventually turning large tion that his family be allowed to use it after his love of forestry later grew into the New me cries out to go back to my home on the portions of the property his death; the family relinquished its rights in Deal program known as the Civilian Conser- Hudson River,” so the first lady demonstrated 1945, and it is presently a 290-acre national vation Corps.” into an experimental love for her own retreat on the estate when historic site. forestry station. she said, “Val-Kill is where I used to find Touring the home is a time-travel experience, myself and grow. At Val-Kill, I emerged as Springwood especially if one can take a first-person tour. an individual.” From the Visitors Center, a short stroll leads The fact that all furnishings in the thirty-five-

20 AL 21 The only National Historic Site dedicated to Time Magazine listed her as the only first count on a specific number for dinner. This a first lady, Val-Kill (about two miles from lady to have a bounty ($25,000) placed on her place was like a resort. Mrs. Roosevelt would the mansion at Springwood) takes its name head by the Ku Klux Klan, making another of have friends over for canoeing or horseback from Dutch words for waterfall and stream. her sayings quoted by Mack very appropriate: riding and end up inviting everyone to stay A tour, complete with the sixteen-minute “Courage is more exhilarating than fear, and for dinner.” Mack indicates the “five-leafer” film, Close to Home, takes approximately an in the long run, it is easier. We do not have dining room table, whose leaves could be hour; but reservations are recommended, as to become heroes over night. Just a step at quickly added to feed more guests. passageways in the modest house are narrow a time.” and tour groups small. She also points to the brick, outdoor bar- While she traveled around the world (40,000 becue, which came in handy for entertain- Val-Kill volunteer Doris Mack knew and miles in one year alone) as first lady and long ing friends, as the Roosevelts loved picnics. talked with Eleanor Roosevelt; she’s a wealth afterward in her efforts to make a difference “Every Fourth of July, someone in the fam- of information about—and aphorisms ut- in people’s lives around the globe, Val-Kill re- ily read the Declaration of Independence,” tered by—the woman known as the “First mained her refuge. Mack adds levity to her Mack adds. Lady of the World.” Quoting Mrs. Roosevelt, tours, telling how hard it was to keep cooks at she says, “A woman is like a tea bag. You nev- the Stone Cottage because “they could never After Val-Kill was completed in 1925, when er know how strong she is until she gets into her children were grown, Eleanor and her hot water.” friends added a small furniture factory in which they established Val-Kill Industries, Roosevelt proved to be often in hot water in where local farmers produced early Ameri- terms of stepping into the controversies of can furniture, pewter, and woven goods in the day, but always remained very strong. the off-season to supplement their income She ignored rules regarding segregation of and prevent them from having to migrate to the races, inviting black friends to sit with cities. Eleanor’s experience helped shape her her at events they couldn’t otherwise attend; interest in New Deal efforts to create self- and she wrote for black periodicals such as Jet supporting rural communities. and Ebony. Among the many personal artifacts, papers, and family heirlooms that remain here are photo | National Park Service, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, W.D. Urbin several examples of the furniture produced at the Val-Kill factory. “Everything made at Val- Courage is more exhilarating than fear, and in the long run, it is easier. We do Kill,” Mack says, “has ‘Val-Kill’ stamped on it. not have to become heroes over night. Just a step at a time.

“She met with the prime minister of France here—and with JFK in 1960 on the day her UN Commission on Human Rights without granddaughter died. The sleeping porch is the leadership of its chair, Eleanor Roosevelt. where she’d work for hours at night,” often writing her popular six-days-a-week syndi- “We make our own history,” she said. A visit cated newspaper column, My Day, in which to Val-Kill shows why Eleanor Roosevelt’s she addressed major issues such as racism heritage has continued to grow over more from 1935 until the day she died (November than seventy years. 7, 1962). AL :: www.nps.gov/hofr www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, www.historichydepark.org adopted by the United Nations General As- Martha Steger is a Midlothian, Virginia-based freelance sembly on December 10, 1948, had several journalist who regularly covers the arts, historical sites, authors; but most observers believe the Dec- authors, and travel destinations for a variety of print and laration would not have been adopted by the online publications. photos | National Park Service, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, W.D. Urbin photo | www.dutchesstourism.com

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