Spent all day Sunday in Hyde Park, New York, on the day of the re-dedication of the Franklin Roosevelt Presidential Library, which has received a complete makeover, the first since it's opening in 1941.
We started out the day at Val-Kill, the estate which was Eleanor Roosevelt's domain, which I had surveyed back in 1970, when her sons sold it to a local doctor who supposedly wanted to subdivide it (the property was subsequently re-claimed by a private group and given to the National Park Service).
We ate lunch and then took a side trip to the Vanderbilt Mansion, a few miles up the road, and then came back for a tour of Springwood, FDR's home, killing time until the 2PM Library opening for the general public, after the official ceremonies.
Admission was free all day, and we spent a good four hours inside. If one really wants to see and read everything in detail, a minimum of an entire day is necessary, just for the library alone. The three-year renovation brings the library’s archives and museum up to the National Archives’ standards for the preservation of historic collections. FDR was the first President to create a Presidential Library (Hoover created one for his term later on) and the only one to actually design the structure himself.
Near the end of the tour (if you follow the exhibits chronologically), you come to a large glass enclosure which houses his Oval Office desk (which was Herbert Hoover's desk, FDR never bothered to change it).
Among the many objects (knick-knacks and tchotchkes) was a familiar looking object.
So I went in for a closer look.
It's a specially made GLO monument, dated 1941.
On my numerous trips there when I was youngster I was always facinated with the collection of ship models, are they still there? Was considering visting there on my next trip home (September), now that I know ot has been renovated it may be more desired.
Richard, the library has been totally rearranged. The ship collection is downstairs in a separate room. On opening day, the room was locked, but the walls are glass, so you can walk down the hall and see a large number of FDR's models.
A large portion of the basement is devoted to the parts of the collection that are not actually on display, but you can see them in storage through large glass windows...sort of a display of non-displayed items.
The most disappointing thing (aside from the awful rainy weather) was the fact that due to budget constraints, tours of Top Cottage have been suspended. This was FDR's getaway spot, where he intended to live after he left office. The house was designed by FDR himself, to be what turns out to be probably one of the first wheelchair-accessible designed homes in the country.
The place was sold off by the family to an oil company executive friend of the family, who lived in it for several decades, before the Open Space Institute bought it and gave it to the National Park Service. We spent an afternoon there a couple of years ago, and you were able to sit on the same porch where he served hot dogs to the King and Queen of England.
