Roosevelt's - Springwood and Val-Kill on the Hudson

It has been a couple of wet days here in the Hudson Valley, but got to two places we really wanted to see;  Franklin Delano Roosevelt's lifetime home called Springwood, and the later home of Eleanor Roosevelt called Van-Kill, along with the first Presidential library in the nation.

Springwood-FDR's Lifetime Home

Springwood was FDR's lifetime home.  He was born there, an only child for his parents. He lived there much of his life and returned hundreds of times when he was Governor of NY, Secretary of the Navy, and his twelve years as President.  He had a cerebral hemorrhage in Hot Springs, GA, but was immediately returned to Springwood and was buried here in the plain marble tomb he designed in the rose garden.

FDR, Eleanor (and two favorite dogs) Grave sites

Before his death, he established the first Presidential Library, which is next to his Springwood Home.  Springwood actually belonged to his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt (who lived until 1941). She ran the houses, financed his political campaigns, built a townhouse for them in New York City (and one for her next door with connecting hall way), mostly raised FDR and Eleanor's five children during their travels, and in general was in charge of the domestic scene for almost all of FDR's life.  That wasn't the best situation for Eleanor, but more about that later.

We took a National Park Service (NPS) tour of the house and learned some interested facets about FDR and Eleanor's life there.   Upon FDR's death (his mother preceded his death by a few years), the house and all of the furnishings were donated to the US government and is managed by the NPS. In comparison to the Vanderbilt mansion, this is a more modest home, both bedrooms and furniture.

Dining Area of Springwood, with room for kids in back

FDR added on to Springwood house at least twice, and he took a very active role in the renovation, including adding wings to either side of his boyhood home and adding ramps after he contracted polio.  The ground floor of one of the wings was a very large study and library, which is preserved as it was for his adult life.

FDR's Study, library and Desk

A Portion of FDR's Library--He Had Thousands of Volumes

FDR's Bedroom after he got polio

He contracted polio in 1921 at 29, while the family was at their summer home in Campobello, just across the Maine border in New Brunswick, Canada. When he was well enough to come home by ship and railroad, he spent at least three years recovering and building his upper body strength so he could show the appearance of walking with leg braces. Eleanor slept next door in a small bedroom, helping him recover. Shortly after his recovery, she built had a small home built across the property, about two miles away at Val-Kill, where she and friends developed a small furniture and pewter making factory for people out of work. 

FDR Bust at Library

The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Presidential Library is an amazing collection of videos, artifacts, posters and exhibits that tell the story of our nation through the first sixty years of the twentieth century. It chronicles his rise to power as governor in NY and later the nation. The exhibits also tell the story of Eleanor's rise to fame as a journalist (published a column in newspapers for 36 years), activist for women and equal rights and became the traveling eyes and ears for FDR during his Presidency clocking over 40,000 miles in one year.

There are a lot of ship models and nautical art throughout the house and library.  Since his parents would not allow him to go to the Naval Academy, he got even later by becoming Secretary of the Navy, and he enjoyed ships and sailing all of his life, starting with his sailing on the Hudson River below Springwood and to Campobello. 

Beginning in the late 1920's, Eleanor was looking for a way to get out from under the domination of FDR's mother, Sara.  She and a few democratic friends bought land up the hill from Springhill and created a retreat and experimental workshop called Val-Kill Industries after the Val Kill River that was nearby.  The Great Depression did not allow the experiment to thrive, but as a result, Franklin learned the importance of people learning new crafts, which help lead to the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corp. Val-Kill  become the first home Eleanor ever had. She used it as a retreat center and home until her death in 1962.  She even received Senator John F. Kennedy there in 1960, and finally gave him her endorsement for President--on one condition.  She extracted the promise that if he became President, he would address the Civil Rights issues.

She had the Val-Kill furniture and pewter factories turned into a home for herself and grandchildren. It is here, where she received US and foreign dignitaries as part of her role as the first USA delegate to the United Nations.  Unfortunately, the NPS does not have all of the original furnishings, but it is recovering them after one son sold most of them in late 1960's at auction. Thanks to numerous photos of her life there, you understand who was important to her and her daily life here, after FDR died. 

Eleanor's Study at Val-Kill

Val Kill Dining Room--Note the Franciscan Apple Plates she chose

Franciscan Ware Apple Pattern Plates--Just Like We Have

Furnishings and life was much simpler at Val Kill than it was at Springwood.  In addition to the Franciscan Apple plates, the water glasses were made by Libby and were given away free with a tank of fuel at gas stations in the fifties. Neil's Mom admired Eleanor, and she also acquired the set of Franciscan ware apple dishes that we still use today.  If you were invited for a meal at Val Kill, you better hope you were invited for dinner any day but Sunday, as that was the cook's day off.  Eleanor only knew how to make scrambled eggs and toast! 

In 1946, President Truman named her the first USA delegate to the United Nations, where she worked for three years to create and pass the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" which contains FDR's famous four freedoms (in this order) freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. She thought this was her greatest contribution to the world. It is still in use today.

Eleanor was buried with FDR at Springwood, as were two of their favorite dogs.  Their children wanted to be buried with their grandmother, Sara so they are buried at another cemetery in Hyde Park.

View Across the Hudson Near Springwood

We have endured the remnants of hurricane Gordon that has been blown into this part of the east, with pounding rain, thunderstorms, flooded streets and in general a big departure from our warm and dry trip for the first forty days.  We think that this may become the "new normal" at least for a while.  

We also admit that we have been watching a lot more of the Weather Channel than we thought we would.  We will keep an eye out and adjust as needed, but think that we are far enough north to miss the major impacts of Florence.  We leave this area for the Finger Lakes area of New York near Watkins Glen.  Wish us luck as we head west and south.

Neil and Pamela