Lily, A Dog's Life Aboard Moondance: Springwood and Val Kill, FDR & Eleanor's Estates

Pam and Hersh’s last day with us wasn’t going to be the best weather day, but they were all determined to go to see FDR’s & Eleanor’s estates about an hour north of here. Mom made us a big breakfast while Hersh made sandwiches and packed a picnic lunch. After breakfast they took off, both parks are part of the National Park System so thanks to their Senior Passes it didn’t cost very much to see them.

They discovered that FDR’s family’s original wealth was in sugar. His father later became co founder of the Bank of NY with Alexander Hamilton. While his mother’s family, the Delano’s were into the China trade: spices & opium. Their family had the government contract for opium during the Civil War, so despite the depression prior to the war, they recovered.

FDR’s father bought the farm, he later named Springwood on the Hudson River outside of Poughkeepsie in late 1800’s. He just kept adding acres to the property as they became available. The original farmhouse expanded many times, so it is the size we see today.

Father marries Sara Delano...who was quite a beauty in her day. She gives birth to 10 lbs. FDR who became their only child. He was home schooled until age 14 when he was sent to Groton School. He graduates at 18 with C's. He wanted to go to Annapolis, but mom said he had to go to Harvard. He was in the class of 1900. After graduation he falls in love with his shy, intelligent, serious 5th cousin once removed and marries her shortly afterwards. They had 6 children, but they lost one son early. Eleanor tried to conform to what his mom wanted in a daughter in law, but once she discovered FDR’s affair, she decided to go her own way. Mom totally devoted to FDR and lived with them their entire marriage...after all, she held the purse strings. FDR was very proud of his Dutch roots and designed his own Dutch Colonial Presidential library on Springwood’s grounds. He was the only president to have a library during his lifetime. FDR wanted to be buried in his mom’s rose garden with a simple headstone. His mom had died 4 years prior to him and was buried with the other family members at their church cemetery.
Eleanor lived 17 yrs after him. She & he are the only ones buried here along with family pets. He passed away in Warm Springs, GA at his spa there.
According to Churchill’s private doctor, he said FDR was in bad shape at Yalta Conference. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage only 82 days into his 4th term at age 63. Between contracting polio in 1939, his heavy smoking and multiple other medical issues, he wasn’t a healthy man. Springwood was his comfort zone and he made many of his major decisions there. Manhattan Project, being one of them… he learned about Nazis working on atomic energy through two pacifist scientists, Einstein–Szilárd wrote the letter. FDR told King George that the USA was isolationist at the time of WW II, so Lend Lease act was born to help Great Britain with war machinery and such. In the surrounding area of Springwood it used to be all heavily Progressive Republican, so FDR never carried his hometown.

Val Kill Cottage and grounds only National Park dedicated to First Lady. FDR built these buildings on this part of the property for her and her friends. It was a much more casual existence for her, the children, grandchildren and any visitors they had. She was here until she died in 1962. She felt like it was the only place she could call her own. She and her friends campaigned hard for the League of Women voters to get that bill passed. Then, she became her own force to be reckoned with within the Democratic Party. Her best friends, Nancy Cook & Marianne Dickerson were advanced wood workers. They all decided to start a woodworking industry on Val Kill site to help farmers make more income during the winter. Val Kill Cottage was originally a woodworking building, but when the great depression came, their woodworking industry was force to shutdown. Eleanor had the building repurposed for her home and entertained many dignitaries here. Including Presidential Candidate JFK when he came to ask for her endorsement. She agreed to support him if he would become active on advancing Equal Rights for the Colored…it took LBJ to really see it happen. She was a prolific writer both of her daily column and of her many books.

We all loved both places including FDR’s museum and would highly recommend them!

We got Pam and Hersh off to the Croton Harmon train station in a timely fashion. We heard later that all their NYC & NJ connections worked out well and they were on the road to OH by 1:15. After seeing them off, dad and mom got some laundry done, their haircut & had lunch at Green & Grain. YUM! They came back and crashed, but were up in time to feed me, enjoy the great band up the river from us, have their cocktails, enjoy a fabulous sunset followed by a wonderful fireworks show across the river! Once again it turned into a full day!

Yesterday they deserted me later in the morning to go to the Storm King Art Center that is close to West Point. Incredible place and thankfully, they had trams to help M & D who aren’t walking so well these days!!! It covers over 500 acres and has over 120 permanent sculptures and more on temporary exhibit. They loved it! They kept raving about the scenery and sculpture…They returned to feed me, themselves, and chill out for the rest of the evening…Another incredible day and Hudson River sunset!!!

Today I was told was going to be a boat working day despite our holiday…We have to move the boat for a pump out, that is a good thing for multiple reasons!!! :-) Dad & mom will be changing the oil & filters and replacing the water flow sensor on the port engine along with an overall cleaning…I overheard mom mention the Lily BATH word too…She told me that she has a vet appointment for me tomorrow for an overall checkup on all these skin tags, my ears and so on… I could live without all that attention, but she never asks me!
M & D were excitedly talking about catching up with our NY judge friend, Courtney on Thursday in Waterford and hopefully, Diane and Mike, our FL neighbors sometime this week too! We are really looking forward to traveling further up the Hudson to the Catskills and Albany as well!!!

Some of the serene views on Eleanor's Val Kill estate

Val Kill, (Kill) is actually the Dutch word for Creek

Eleanor really loved her wood paneling everywhere...she wasn't interested in matching anything. She said something to the effect, "furniture should be like people, coming in all shapes and sizes..."

It wasn't uncommon for guests to be served on paper plates here so they could take their food outside.

The Hutch came from their cabin

While the mirror was from her mother's family, all this memorabilia/furniture was sold in an auction by her son after her death...It's taken years to get some of the furniture & artifacts back.

Her writing desk and study

Springwood, only the center part of the house was original

The living room & library took up one wing on the left side of the house. When FDR died the family turned over this part of the estate to the government complete with all the furnishings.