If you have a tween or teen in your household a day at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Home, Presidential Library and Museum is a highly recommended outing. My wife and I have a junior in high school and a eighth grader. Both are studying American history, so a visit to FDR’s boyhood home, museum and presidential library was a perfect day trip for them and for us.
A Boyhood Home and a Sanctuary
The museum and library sit in the middle of the 1,500-plus acres that made up the Roosevelt estate. Originally purchased in the 19th century, the estate is both aristocratic and yet very austere in comparison to other historic homes we’ve visited. It was a working farm for much of its history and the grounds reflect that. It was much more than a country “get-away” for the “landed gentry” of the last century. The main house, dubbed Springwood, was Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s boyhood home and what a wonderful place to grow up. The main house was a mere quarter mile from the shores of the Hudson River and affords some great views of the river, especially in the fall and winter. The house was expanded around 1915, to accommodate Franklin and Eleanor’s burgeoning family and FDR’s mother Sara.
During his years as President of the United States, Springwood was FDR’s retreat from the bustle of Washington, D.C. and a safe haven as Roosevelt struggled to keep his partial paralysis from polio, out of the public eye. We came away with a sense that it was an oasis of calm as Franklin and his formidable first lady, Eleanor, helped guide the nation through some of the most pivotal and trying times the U.S.A. has ever seen. The house is the first stop on the tour. Our tour guide was a park service ranger who was very informative. Access to the house is fairly limited with only a few rooms opened to the public. Our overall impression was that the Roosevelt’s lived well, but not ostentatiously. Many of the rooms were smaller than we expected for such a wealthy and powerful family. After the brief tour of the house, we were able to roam the grounds freely. Our first stop was the incredible horse stable adjacent to the house. As a one-time equestrian, my daughter marveled at the detail of the stable that featured stone floors and enough stalls to accommodate a small herd of thoroughbreds.
The High Point
For us, the high point of our visit to the FDR estate was the Presidential Library and Museum. The museum features engaging expositions of artifacts and incredible multimedia presentations that explained the depth of turmoil and change that marked the 1930s and 1940s. Gallery after gallery led us through the history of Roosevelt’s life, from his privileged childhood; his less-thanstellar school career; his courtship with Eleanor and his rise to the presidency. The exhibits outline and go into great depth on the causes and effects of the great depression and how, in many ways, it precipitated the devastation of World War II. For our kids the museum was especially helpful in giving them a clearer understanding of those events and how the same forces of economy and politics drive current events.
The Library was the first Presidential Library ever established and the only one actually used by a President while in office. Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” were broadcast from the library.
More to Do
If history is not your thing or you have younger children, the site offers walking trails and wonderful, bucolic landscapes. For more ambitious hikers there are trails that lead to “Val-Kill”, Eleanor Roosevelt’s private residence and also “Top Cottage” (closed November through May), a small house that Roosevelt used as his escape from Springwood when the bustle became overwhelming. Also keep in mind that this is an excellent venue for class trips or scout outings.
Bob Berry is a freelance writer, illustrator and father of two.
When You Go…
The FDR Presidential Library and Museum Rte. 9, Hyde Park, N.Y. For GPS use: 4097 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, N.Y. 877-444-6777
nps.gov/hofr/planyourvisit/index.htm
Dates & Times
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The grounds and the Rose Garden, where Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt are buried are free and open everyday from sunrise to sunset.
Tours
January 2015 through May 2, 2015 at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and the last tour at 4 p.m. Advanced reservations for these tour times can be made through recreation.gov. Tickets and visitor information are available in the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center located on the FDR grounds. Baby carriages, strollers, infant carriers, backpacks and flash photography are all prohibited from the tour.
Admission
$18 joint admission ticket provides access to FDR’s Museum, Library and Home. These tickets are valid for two days. Children ages 15 and under are free. Entrance to other properties (Top Cottage and Val-Kill) are extra.
