Nov 2012 - Nassau Journals

As the country looks
ahead to next
month’s presidential
elections, this month’s Day
Trip takes a look back at the
lifestyle of a former president,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
and his hometown of
Hyde Park, New York.
Located in the northwest
portion of Dutchess
County, just north of Poughkeepsie,
the town is the site
of the FDR estate called
Springwood, now officially
named the Home of Franklin
D. Roosevelt National Historic
Site, which is maintained
by the National Park
Service. Once Roosevelt’s
birthplace and lifelong residence
where he often
hosted distinguished guests
from around the world, the
house is now a popular museum
that offers guests a
glimpse into the wealthy and privileged upbringing
of the future Democratic president. The Franklin
D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum,
America’s first presidential library and the only one
used by a sitting president, is also here in Hyde
Park and is operated by the National Archives. It
houses a vast collection of his personal papers,
books, memorabilia, and other items assembled
from a lifetime of public service. Both the 32nd
U.S. President and his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, are
buried at Springwood, in the estate’s rose garden.
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National
Historic Site is open all year, seven days a week (except
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day)
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitors are only able
to see the Federal-style home itself by guided tour,
but the expansive grounds, trails, and picturesque
gardens are free and open from sunrise to sunset
daily. The FDR Presidential Library and Museum,
also included with admission to the estate, offers
self-guided tours.
Your visit will usually begin at the Henry A.
Wallace Visitor and Education Center, where you
(TOP LEFT) “Springwood,” The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
(TOP RIGHT) Top Cottage (BOTTOM LEFT) A statue of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
and his wife Eleanor greet guests arriving at the visitor center.
(BOTTOM RIGHT) Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
can watch an introductory film and arrange for both
the guided tours of the historic home – led by
knowledgeable National Park Rangers – and selfguided
tours of the library and museum. At the
easternmost edge of the 300-acre estate is Top Cottage,
a smaller, Dutch colonial-style home that Roosevelt
built as a quiet retreat from the bustle of
Springwood and where he would invite close friends
and political allies to spend time with him. Top Cottage
is open from May through October and is also
available for tours, with shuttles departing from the
visitor center. Val-Kill, a modest structure about two
miles away, was used by Eleanor Roosevelt for her
personal work and became her home after the president’s
death. It is the only National Historic Site
dedicated to a first lady. It is also open for guided
tours from May through October, with the grounds
open year-round from sunrise to sunset.
Visitors are generally advised to plan a minimum
of two and a half hours to tour Springwood, and another
two hours to see Top Cottage. An additional
90 minutes is suggested to devote to Val-Kill.
The historic town of Hyde Park also includes
HYDE PARK, NEW YORK
By Joanne Colella
other notable sites, one of
the most impressive being
the neighboring Vanderbilt
Mansion National Historic
Site. Established as a monument
to an entire era – the
so-called Gilded Age -- the
stunning estate is one of the
few remaining premier examples
of the “country palaces”
built by wealthy industrialists.
Overlooking the east bank of
the Hudson River, the site sits
on 211 acres, with expansive
views, formal gardens, grand
landscaping, natural woodlands,
and numerous structures.
The centerpiece of the
estate is the magnificent 54room
mansion used by Frederick
William Vanderbilt and
his wife Louise as a seasonal
country residence.
Like its famous neighboring
sites, the Vanderbilt
Mansion is open for guided
tours, seven days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. – although times are more limited from November
through April and subject to change, so it’s
wise to check schedules when you plan to visit.
The mansion is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas,
and New Year’s Day. The surrounding grounds are
open every day throughout the year from sunrise
to sunset.
The National Park Service maintains very informative
websites about each of these always
breathtaking, often inspiring destinations. There
are even convenient itineraries available online, offering
advice on how to easily and efficiently plan
your day to take in the entire experience. Reasonably
priced tickets allow access to multiple sites,
and free shuttle buses are available to usher you to
each location.
For more details on how to take your own day
trip back into history, check out these websites:
www.nps.gov/hofr/index.htm,
www.nps.gov/vama/index.htm, www.hydeparkchamber.org/tourism.htm#sites,
and
www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/library/history.html.