Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library

In late August 2018 we spent a couple of days touring the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, the FDR childhood home, and both Eleanor and Franklin’s personal cottages. All of these structures are located on the grounds of the Roosevelt family estate of Springwood, in Hyde Park, New York.

Our first stop was to the presidential library. This is the first of the thirteen presidential libraries under the auspices of the National Archives and Records Administration and was built under the President’s personal direction in 1939-1940.  Prior to Roosevelt's Presidency, the final disposition of Presidential papers was left to chance. Although a valued part of the nation's heritage, the papers of chief executives were private property which they took with them upon leaving office. Some were sold or destroyed and thus either scattered or lost to the nation forever. Others remained with families, but inaccessible to scholars for long periods of time. The fortunate collections found their way into the Library of Congress and private repositories. Roosevelt was the first to make his papers available to the public by donating them to the government. In erecting his library, Roosevelt created an institution to preserve intact all his papers.

There are countless volumes written about FDR, Eleanor, the years they were in office, their personal lives, the depression, the war. I personally found Eleanor as interesting and influential, if not more so, at times, than Franklin. Even though both of them came from immense family wealth, the importance and well-being of those less fortunate was always a priority for them. Further exploration for those interested is there at our (internet) fingertips.

For this post, I will just mention these ten major accomplishments, along with pictures we took at the presidential library.

1. FDR served as governor of New York from 1929 to 1932.
2. He is the longest serving president in the history of the United States.
3. He arrested financial panic through the Emergency Banking Act.
4. The FDIC was established through the 1933 Banking Act.
5. Roosevelt set up many important institutions as part of his first New Deal, included the CCC, PWA, TVA and FERA.
6. The US Social Security System was created during his presidency.
7. He established a national minimum wage through the Fair Labor Standards Act.
8. He took the first federal action to prohibit employment discrimination.
9. Along with Churchill and Stalin, FDR led the allied coalition to victory in World War II.
10.  He Played a major role in the creation of the United Nations.

Rhinebeck, New York

After wrapping up our stay in Saratoga Springs (late August 2018), we headed 100-miles due south to Rhinebeck, New York, for a one week stay. Rhinebeck is a charming and historic village nestled in the scenic Hudson Valley, with the Hudson River marking the western boundary of the town. From here we had majestic views of the Catskill Mountains, and had we been so inclined, easy access to New York City, the Berkshires, Connecticut, and Upstate New York. Although the main reason for stopping here was to visit the FDR Presidential Library (located 15-miles away in Hyde Park), we were happy to find the area in general fun to explore. Tree-lined streets, specialty shopping, boutique farms and orchards, and hiking and biking trails beckoned to us, encouraging us to get out and explore the natural beauty of the region. We learned about The Walkway Over the Hudson, a 24-foot wide, 1.2-mile long bridge for cyclists and pedestrians that connects the city of Poughkeepsie with the Town of Lloyd. One day we drove to Poughkeepsie for an exploration of that area, including the ride over the river. It was a picture perfect day, for being outside, and for a bike ride. We enjoyed discovering more about this part of New York, riding over the bridge, and the gorgeous views of the Hudson River Valley.