Thursday, March 26, 2009

Hyde Park, New York: Roosevelt National Historic Site


The Franklin Roosevelt National Historic Site has plenty of attractions connected to it. There's a museum/library, complete with a review of FDR's life. There's an adjoining tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt, as she lived on the grounds for the final 17 years of her life. Their graves are here as well.

The best part for me, though, was the house tour. The place is essentially the way it was when Franklin died in 1945. It seems that Franklin was something of a mama's boy at heart, and mom didn't like the idea of a wife stealing attention from her. No wonder Eleanor set up Val-Kill -- she was given the smallest room in the place. And it's fun to picture Winston Churchill wandering the halls at night during World War II.

It's a great place to learn about the personal side of history.

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