I have long-admired Eleanor Roosevelt.
It’s impossible not to admire a woman who began her workday at 4 AM, and often stayed up late into the night replying to mail sent from constituents all over the country— by hand. And slept– IN THE MIDDLE OF NEW YORK WINTER — outside on a ‘sleeping porch.’
Oh— and she was married to a pretty influential guy.
The impact of the Roosevelts on American history cannot be understated– they’ve been the subject of volumes from famed historians like Doris Kearns Goodwin, a lengthy Ken Burns documentary, feature-length films, and probably loads of History Channel ‘World War 2’ hour-long series– their letters, personal lives, and historical artifacts have been poured over to a painstaking extent, since they had a hand in everything from re-shaping the way people saw domestic government to the way international diplomacy was shaped.
Over the years, I’d digested some of the above material (no, not the History Channel stuff)– and became (as many do) an amateur-nerd-fan of the couple. And I had been to Hyde Park to the Roosevelt residence over a decade ago, but finding myself in the area recently— asked a friend if she wanted to see the historic place, and paid another visit.
When arriving, a statue of the smiling Roosevelts is one of the first things to greet you. There’s a little space on the benches near both, so you can sit next to them and grab an adorable photo.
Sadly, on this day, Eleanor’s Val-Kil Cottage was closed on this day (she took her own private residence on the property, reportedly to get away from Sara, Franklin’s mother, but also, so she could spearhead a skills-training program for workers during the Depression). Due to this closure, we settled on the ranger tour of the Roosevelt’s main home and the museum onsite.
First up, the ranger-led tour of the home (the interior of the home is inaccessible without someone to guide you, as a head’s up).
Our ranger wasn’t a true park ranger (unfortunately)— he was a volunteer. And let me just say, the difference between the skill of a ranger and that of a volunteer was actually notable. While our tour was “fine,” we happened to catch the start of the next tour— which was led by an actual ranger (look for the hat) and in the few minutes we overheard— was significantly better.
(So, hot tip— if you visit the Roosevelt home, you might want to ask when rangers lead the tours themselves, and skip the ones that volunteers helm).
Anyway, the home itself was designed by Franklin, who had taken architecture classes in college and fancied himself a bit of an expert (uh-huh). While he didn’t build it by his own hand, of course– his design included serious fireproofing (he was terrified of fire), and had some distinct flourishes like this portico with columns, which looked quite official — even political.
Sure enough, he created the porch with the White House in-mind. He made many of his addresses to the press and public from this porch over the years, so the grand entrance of the home was certainly utilized as he intended it to be.
Now for the interior— the house itself isn’t much to look at, unless you are a huge sucker for period furniture. But is painstakingly accurate to the time in which the Roosevelts lived there, so it’s easy to imagine them walking around the rooms and hallways. Franklin’s taxidermied bird collection, lovingly and proudly kept by his mother, is still on-display in the foyer.
And, kept secret at the time by press and officials alike, the couple kept separate bedrooms most of the time — with Eleanor taking a small bedroom adjacent to the one Franklin utilized.
While this tour did not mention it explicitly, Eleanor and Sara, Franklin’s mother, had such a fraught and tense relationship that several historians have chronicled the drama between the two of them in books (e.g. “Sara and Eleanor”). For the record, Sara was called “domineering” at a time in which women having ANY opinion could result in such an assigned slight— so Eleanor’s distaste for Sara likely had something else behind it. It’s easy to spot Sara right beside Franklin in photographs at moments of great importance during his campaigns and presidency– with Eleanor off somewhere in the distance.
Of course, Franklin’s political brand was greatly helped by the association with his uncle Teddy— who had near-universal admiration in the country by the time Franklin pursued office. And Franklin did benefit from his patrician name in his career before politics (Vice President of the Navy) to further his credentials— to be truthful, there’s not much about Franklin that one can file under “self-made.” His family name and his class started him from the front of the pack.
That does not mean he did not work hard. That does not mean he did not do great things. But certainly, it means that he got his start from one of the highest perches of privilege that one can occupy.
Eleanor wrote about how Franklin, AFTER contracting polio (and having to fight the pain and paralysis that gripped his legs), increased his empathy in droves. While a kind man before the diagnosis and illness—he was much more empathetic to the plight of others thereafter. She makes no bones about why– saying his charmed upbringing did not exactly require him to flex his empathy muscle.
The home contained an elevator to help Franklin ascend to the second floor— but it was not electrified. Franklin, ever-vigorous, wanted to pull himself up by his arms. Thus, the elevator was a operated by a hand-driven pulley system by design.
After our home tour, we set off for the onsite museum dedicated to Franklin and Eleanor’s lives, and their LONG political lives (remember, he was elected to the Presidency 4 times).
The museum had been modernized and did not have the stale feeling of some Presidential exhibits— the exhibits were bold, and well-designed for the current populace that tends prioritize short burst and visual learning. The museum opened strong– reminding visitors that Franklin was entering politics to counter the Hooverist (read: just wait awhile and hope) approach to ending the Depression.
Archival photos of the couple as young people were lovely to see– and a note from a constituent who listened to a “fireside chat” of Roosevelt’s was charming (‘thank you for the courage and faith you have given us’)– a reminder that in dark times, a true leader could comfort the populace.
Given the way that both Franklin and Winston Churchill can be practically deified by World War Two buffs, I was pleased to see some very realistic accounts of the facts of the life of the Roosevelts— including frank acknowledgement of the affairs that both had, including the names and identities of those participating in the affairs, as pictured below!
Quite a spicy revelation (including quoted letters!) for the uninitiated guest just here for a browse, I’d imagine– especially the bit about Eleanor’s female lover, Lorena Hickok (who was an impressive woman in her own right, the first-ever female reporter for the Associated Press).
The way some Presidential museums varnish over misdeeds or poorly-aged policies can result in saccharine (and really boring) experiences (looking at you, Jimmy Carter National Historic Place), but the Roosevelt museum offered plenty of information to run counter to the soft-focus, “Great Man” portrait that others paint.
For instance, Franklin’s decision to turn away a steamship full of Jewish refugees fleeing Germany as the country further descended into war. Notably, Eleanor Roosevelt strongly disagreed and privately urged him to accept these folks— one of several times Eleanor would council him in ways that ended up to be proven right by the march of time. (She advised him in furious terms against the Japanese Internment order, which was documented in the museum).
The museum chronicled just how impossible the task seemed, to bring the nation back from the Depression— and how Franklin’s programs (which cost a pretty penny and yes, inflated the size of government) were lambasted at the time by critics as “Socialist!” or “Communist!” — but did, in fact, work. And to great effect.
I spent a lot of time in the museum looking at Eleanor’s influence on her husband, and on social issues– she was a woman who was ahead of her time, especially on key issues like race. She famously hosted Marian Anderson to sing at an event, and was ejected from the Daughters of the American Revolution as a result– she also flew in a plane captained by a Tuskegee Airman pilot, and complimented his abilities– long before the public was so forward-thinking on race relations.
Traveling to national parks constantly, I am always grateful for the WPA (Works Progress Administration) and CCC (the Civilian Conservation Corps) as they built so many of the structures and structural basis of the parks even today. The period of art produced under his National Endowment for the Arts gave canvas to some of the best artists of the period and produced works that we still get to admire– with different artist and musician names listed above as benefactors of the program (e.g. Eudora Welty and others).
I’m sounding like a fangirl of these kind of policies because the impact on people’s quality of life can still be felt today— and despite common cynicism, I do believe government can be a force for good in everyday life. What is it there for, if not to do what it can to improve the people’s quality of life through programs and policies that foster health, learning, and happiness?
It’s easy to get jaded about the current time we live in, being so divisive and seemingly bent on destroying “The Other Side”— until one looks at the political cartoons from Roosevelt’s time… at which point it’s easy to realize we’ve ALWAYS been really divided. It’s just more visible now, and with social media, it’s ON BLAST– we’re each much-more vocal about it and that’s traveling around the world instantly. Had social media existed during the Roosevelt Presidency, he’d have caused more than a few Twitter fights, “un-friendings” on Facebook, and meltdowns on Tik Tok.
Later, my friend and I found the graves of Eleanor, Franklin, and of course, their beloved doggie Fala (a very dignified black Scotty dog)– who is buried RIGHT next to them. If you see photos of the Roosevelts around their home, the little guy is never far from them. (As if to prove that point, Fala’s collar, ball, and bowl are on display in the president’s museum).
I’m sure there are plenty of folks who remember Roosevelt as the resolute part of the powerful duo (with Churchill) that ended Nazi plans to take over the world— and I bet there are others who remember him solely as the ‘dictator’-4-term-demon who grew government into a wasteful machine.
To me, this lion and lioness’ under-appreciated legacies were the impact they had on the culture of America, and the everyday improvements in people’s lives with the New Deal, which (in a non-exhaustive list) put people to work, guaranteed bank deposits (FDIC), built infrastructure in the parks (CCC), created public buildings for the use of citizens (PWA), set standard appraisal rates for homes (HOLC), and gave us Social Security to ensure people in a wealthy economy would not end their working lives in destitution.
If you’re interested in learning more about Eleanor, check out her excellent autobiography for her own words on her fascinating and full life.
Posted by Sun
