Road Trip: NJ-NY: Franklin D Roosevelt NHS/Valkill & Vanderbilt Mansion NHS

 Hyde Park, NY

April 22, 2022

The road trip with my friend Carol continued into NY with the intent to visit Franklin D. Roosevelt NHS. 

I had been here several years earlier with my youngest son, but this was an opportunity to explore it a little bit more. It had changed a little, and this time I was able to explore his home and get a bit more information about our 32nd president. The last visit, we had visited the Presidential Library. We skipped it this time. 

As we waited for the tour, we took some pictures of the President and his wife Elienor.  

We also walked around the grounds and explored the potential for the Presidential Library, but it was an extra cost and we just decided it was not going to fit into our plans before the tour. (note for anyone who visits, there is an additional cost to tour the Presidential Library.)

In the back garden there is a sculpture made from the Berlin wall. 

I believe this is a statue of Franklin and Winston Churchill. 

Also on the property is the President and his wife's grave. FDR was raised here on this property, it had once his family farm. FDR was born in 1882 to a wealthy family. He was the only child of James and Sara. He did have a half-brother from his father's previous wife. As a child Franklin had the fortune to travel to foreign countries and was able to have conversations in both German and French. He was home schooled until the age of 14, and then went on to a boarding school in MA. He later went on to attend Harvard and Columbia becoming an attorney in 1907. 

FRD wife Eleanor was his 5th cousin. Theodore Roosevelts niece. Teddy actually gave the bride away at the wedding. 

FDR and Eleanor had six children, although their 3d child, a son died.  FDR held his first political office in 1911 as State Senator. He also served as the Assistant Sectary of the Navy. In 1920, he ran for Vice President with presidential nominee James Cox. Unfortunate for FDR, Calvin Cooledge won that year. 

In 1921, FDR fell ill and was left paralyzed as a result. Despite this, he continued to stay connected to politics, and in 1929 he was elected as NY State Governor. It was during his position as Governor, that he began to establish economic and societal change. As Governor during the great depression, he endorsed unemployment insurance, aide to farmers, the temporary relief program, crime reduction and began the Hewitt Amendment to aide in re-forestry.  

IN 1932, FRD ran as the Democratic presidential candidate. His role as governor in NY and the management of the Depression in this state assisted in his popularity and he won becoming the 32nd president of the United States. 

 Below is the family home. We were able to take a tour of the property. FDR visited this home often over his years as both Governor and president. 

The home, as true to how it was during FDR's day, for the exception of fire damage and restoration years earlier. 

FDR's biggest recall as president of the United States was the New Deal. This included the Federal Emergency Relief Act, Aides to Farmers, and The Civilian Conservation Corps (helped to employ the unemployed through working on bridges, damns, and schools.). Additionally, he developed the NIRA which forced companies to have competitive wages and setting minimum prices on goods. In the second New Deal, FDR instituted the Social Security Act, as well as many changes in business's such as the establishment of Unions, and the National Labors relations Act. FDR was elected president for 4 terms. (It was after that now presidential terms cannot last more than two.) FDR's role as president changed the progression of the United States, he also was an important change in foreign affairs, and we were told of a story where he had The King and Queen of England to his cottage for an "American" style picnic, which included hot dogs and other picnic foods. 

FDR also did some monumental moves during the years as president. He also entered WWII after Pearl Harbor and had a deep connection with foreign Governments. 

Throughout FDR's time in office, he continued to struggle with his paralysis. He took extreme efforts to hide his disability often being held up to stand, and he refused to be seen in a wheelchair. His family home had devices added to assist him in getting to the second floor by which he would lift himself up. I did notice that this home did have several stairs. 

FDR died while in office, but he spent some of his last days here at his family home. (This was his bedroom). 

He died while at his cottage home in Georgia in 1945. It is believed he died of heart problems. 

This was the phone that went directly to the white house. 

A few fun facts about FDR;

- He was the first President to be televised.

-He was the only president (at the time) to fly out of the country during war time

-He had a Scottish terrier named Fala. Fala is buried next to FDR.

-His most famous speech was entitled "Four Freedoms", these freedoms are; religion, speech, freedom from fear, and freedom from want. 

-He had multiple cars, and the ones that he himself drove had adaptations to assist in his driving. 

-FDR died while sitting for a portrait. He was at his cottage with his mistress. It was well known he had several extra marital affairs. 

-When African American, Marian Anderson was denied performance at his inauguration because she was black, he arranged to have her sing at Lincoln Memorial instead.

After our visit at the National Historical Park, we then went on to Val Kill which is the cottage that his wife Eleanor had for her own. 

So, all about Eleanor. Well, she was one of the first, first ladies who is as well known as her husband. Eleanor, like her husband were born into wealth. Unfortunately, her parents had died when she was young. She spent her formative years living with her Grandmother and went to school in London. She returned to NYC where she grew up and became involved in social work activities. 

Eleanor married FDR 4 years after her return to America and soon she became dominated by FDR's mother Sara. During her young adult years she was active in raising her children and when her husband became involved in politics, she too became interested and began educating herself on the subject. 

She would often present in public on his behalf, and she began to form a new role as the first lady. She was seen often as out-spoken and controversial as she spoke out for Civil Rights. She had many projects that included subject of women's rights in the workplace, the poor and refugees as well as the rights of African Americans.  

Eleanor had her own radio show, wrote a weekly newspaper column and monthly magazine.  

After her husband's death, Eleanor was appointed to the United Nations by Harry Truman, and she assisted in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She published many books and has made many quotes that are often identified. 

Val Kill was beautiful and peaceful.

Fun facts about Eleanor

-Her real name was Anna Eleanor Roosevelt

-She was good friends with Amilea Earheart and had herself began pilot training.

-She organized press conferences for only female reporters.

-She invited hundreds of African Americans to the white house. 

-She protested against segregation in Alabama.

-She stared in several commercials. Her presentation for margarine, made the yellow buttery substance a stable in the American household. Her profits went into care packages for the poor.

-She was the first presidential wife to drive a car by herself.

-She inspired safe flight by attending the Tuskegee Institute.

-She was the fourth cousin to Lee Harvy Oswald. 

-She has been rumored to have had affairs both with men and women.

She said " No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

After our visit at Val-Kill, the home was closed due to COVID, we were on our way to Vanderbilt Mansion National Historical Site. 

All I can say is WOW!!!! This place is glorious! We went to the visitor center and made the decision that we would have to skip the tour as it was already pretty late in the day and we still needed to drive home, but this did not stop us from exploring the grounds and getting an up close and personal view of the home. 

I personally am not a fan of the neoclassic look, to me it reminds me of a bank, but it is still pretty amazing. I can only imagine living here. Only imagine having this much wealth. The Vanderbilts are notorious for having money, and they had money during the period of time called the guided age. This was the period between the Civil War and WWII where 10% of the population had 90% of the wealth. Mark Twain was noted as saying this about the period "Flaunted wealth with little substance." The term refers to the process of gilding an object with a superficial layer of gold to improve it's appearance. The expansion of the country contributed to many of these 1st generations of mega wealth and for the Vanderbilts this was no different. Cornellus Vanderbilt borrowed $100 to start a massive shipping business and multiple railroads. (He financially built Grand Central Station in NYC).

Cornellus had 8 children. Between those 8 children there were 40 mansions built. Many of these have been demolished or left abandoned, but this one, home to the sixth child Fredrick was built as his country home and still is standing as it has become a national historic site. 

This, was a country home!!!!

There is a whole lot of buzz regarding these kids, but simply put, they spent lavishly and lost everything. 

Fredrick vacationed here with his wife, Louise. They held insane parties and hosted many guests. 

We walked the gardens and imagined what the place must look like in the summer months. 

The mansion was left to Louise's niece upon their death, but she was unable to manage the expense and she attempted to sell it. Taxes and the Depression made upkeep impossible. Neighbor, FDR suggested that she donate the home to the National Park Service. She did and the site opened to visitors in 1940.

It was pretty impressive. 

We got our fill of the massive mansion and it's grounds and we were soon on our way home having a fill of history. Great times with Carol. TTFN