We're Heading North

We left Virginia to head north. Why are we heading north and not west since we live on the west coast? Because we're on the east coast and we might as well stay and see everything we can for as long as we can. So, we went north to New York state. But to get to New York state from Virginia you have to drive through Washington D.C. and up the New Jersey Turnpike.

As much as we love visiting Washington, D.C., it is one of the worst places to drive. The driving is congested and crazy and the freeways change every few feet. It is a very nerve-wracking experience. Having said that, though, if you've never been to D.C., you really need to go. The history is worth the traffic headache.

After having done that and surviving, we weren't looking forward to the drive on the New Jersey Turnpike. But we were pleasantly surprised. It was very busy, but it kept moving without many slow downs, except to stop at toll booths and then it gets congested when everyone is exiting the toll booths at the same time.

Now we've traveled back east enough to know that there are tons of toll booths and we include those fees in our travel budget. Unless you really know the area and know how to avoid the toll freeways, you're going to hit a toll road at some point.

WARNING!!!! -- Here comes a rant!: We are from the west coast where toll roads are few and far between. They are almost nonexistent. We know of one in Denver, but Denver roads are set up so the toll road is for convenience not necessity. You can avoid it if you want. We also know of a small toll road in Ogden, Utah, that, again, is set up for convenience, not necessity.

These roads back east are difficult to avoid and in a two-day period we spent over $25.00 on toll roads. It might not be so bad (it would still be bad, but trying to be optimistic here) if the roads were actually decent, but they aren't. 😡 They are full of potholes and bumps. So our question is: what is the purpose of the toll roads if not to keep the roads in decent shape? Because coming from the west coast where we don't have to have toll roads to maintain our highways and freeways, it seems like the state governments on the east coast have a great gig going on. If anyone understands the purpose of the toll roads, please let us know. We'd love to have a better understanding (not sure what that better understanding would be, but, hey, we're open-minded.)

RANT OVER! You may now resume your regular blog-reading schedule.

We love presidential libraries. Whenever we tell people who are unfamiliar with presidential libraries that we travel the United States to see these libraries, we get a wide-range of responses. For instance, one of Edie’s former co-workers told her “who wants to see a bunch of books?” The word ‘library’ is such a misnomer for a presidential library. A presidential library is actually a museum of that particular president’s life and presidency. A full-size replica of the oval office for that president’s time in the White House is available in most of the libraries that we’ve visited. When we went through Eisenhower’s library in Kansas and Nixon’s library in California, we were also able to tour their childhood homes as their libraries had been built on family land next door to their family homes. Many of the presidents are buried on the site of their presidential libraries. The Reagan library has been our favorite so far. Along with several artifacts and videos for public viewing, the 1980’s Air Force One was inside the museum (this museum was several stories high) for people to walk through.

Several years ago, the National Archives, which oversees the presidential libraries that have been built since Hoover, distributed a Passport To Presidential Libraries. For every library we visit, we get a stamp in our Passport book. Once the book is completed with all the necessary stamps, it can be turned in for a special prize. We have never known what the prize would be as that information has never been disclosed … until today.

Today we went to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library in Hyde Park, NY, and we met a couple from Los Angeles who completed and turned in their Passport today and received the prize. The prize was a beautiful crystal paper weight; it made us more determined to finish our book (but, let’s be honest – we’d go see every presidential library even if there was no prize).

We have also visited and toured the Lincoln Presidential Library in Illinois, but it is not part of the National Archives and is operated by the state of Illinois.

The FDR library is on the land of his childhood home so we were able to tour his home and his library. He is the only president to actually have worked out of his library while still president. Presidential libraries aren’t usually built until after the president leaves office and they don’t typically work out of them. For some reason, FDR’s was built while he was still president.

The Roosevelt home (called Springwood) was built in the early 1800’s and FDR’s father, James Roosevelt, bought the 110-acre estate in 1867 for $40,000. The home overlooks the Hudson River though trees block the view of the river. FDR was born in this home in 1882. He and Eleanor lived in this home and their New York townhouse. FDR wanted the home and much of the land to go to, what is now, the National Park Service when he died. The tours of the home began a year to the day after his death with Eleanor being one of the first tour guides. He also added a codicil to his will that none of the trees on the property could be cut. If they fall, they can be milled, but they can’t be cut down so they cover the banks of the Hudson behind his home. The following pictures are from his home and museum (the furnishings are all original to the home):

These old cars were on the FDR property, but no one associated with the FDR library or home stated that he owned any of them. It seemed to be some kind of a car show. The cars were in great condition.The FDR library

 Pieces of the Berlin Wall were given for display to each of the presidential libraries

FDR and Eleanor's graves. FDR is the plot closest to the white memorial stone.

The Roosevelt barn. They were all accomplished equestrians.

FDR's top hat and coat are hanging in this closet.

The following pictures are from inside the FDR library:

 

 Theodore Roosevelt was Eleanor Roosevelt's uncle; her father was Theodore's brother. Eleanor was Teddy Roosevelt's favorite niece. Eleanor and FDR were actually distant cousins.

 FDR had an affair with Lucy Mercer. Eleanor offered FDR a divorce, but FDR's mother threatened to disinherit him if he divorced. He promised to stay away from Lucy Mercer -- he did not keep that promise. The relationship between Eleanor and FDR became more about politics than their personal relationship, though they did have six children together (one died in infancy).

This picture really seems to capture the family dynamics.
FDR's mother is standing right next to him after he wins the
election; one of his sons is on his left and another son is
standing by his grandmother. Eleanor is slightly behind
one of her sons. It seems that she should be the one
standing beside FDR, but she's slightly behind the family
and not looking at the camera.

Eleanor's suit

 Contents of
Eleanor's wallet
when she died

After we visited FDR’s home and library, we drove down the street to the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park. This is just one of over forty homes that the Vanderbilt’s squandered their wealth to build and then they pretty much lost the rest of their inheritance to lavish living. It’s hard to believe, but at one time, the Vanderbilt fortune was worth more than the United States Treasury and, yet, they lost almost all of it.

The Vanderbilt who inherited this home didn't want it. She tried to sell it in the late 1930's, but most people weren't buying ostentatious homes during the Great Depression. FDR convinced her to give it to the government and that's what she did. The furnishings are just as she left it so everything is original. The National Parks Service is now in charge of the home.

The kitchen in the basement.