519 Albany Post Rd, Hyde Park, NY 12538
Phone: 914-229-9115
Fax: 914-229-0739
Open All Year
Overview. FDR grew up in this architecturally intriguing home overlooking the Hudson Valley. One of the 20th century's dominant international political figures, Roosevelt also made his mark in the United States when he shepherded the New Deal through congress during his first 100 days as president in 1933. Also part of the site, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library houses the papers from his presidential years.What to see and do. Driving north out of New York City, you'll find the site about five miles north of Poughkeepsie. There is a nominal fee to see the home and library if you're over 16. Otherwise, walking about the grounds is free. Inside the home, the tour takes you past Roosevelt family heirlooms such as an 18th-century grandfather clock and a Dresden-made porcelain chandelier. In the office nicknamed the "Summer White House," FDR conducted meetings with dignitaries such as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In the 40,000-volume functioning research library, look at FDR's collection of model boats, maps, and naval prints. You can also see the December 8, 1941, declaration of war against Japan. Don't miss the Eleanor Roosevelt Wing, where you'll find exhibits recording her work as a world-renowned humanitarian. A bookstore on the site offers even more information about the Roosevelts. When you walk through the Roosevelt Rose Garden, you'll come across Franklin and Eleanor's gravestone. FDR insisted it be plain, with no mention made of his 12-year presidency (the longest in U.S. history). Visiting the ice house, carriage house, and stables will complete your picture of how the Roosevelt family lived in the first half of the 20th century. If you'd like to learn more about Eleanor Roosevelt, a commanding figure in her own right, visit the nearby Val-Kill cottage, located two miles east, where she lived after FDR's death. Please call park headquarters at 914-229-9115 for information about operating hours. The site is closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.
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