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Next came Springwood, the lifelong home of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Before this visit, I knew surprisingly little about either his home or his presidency. What I discovered was both informative and inspiring. I found myself taking more photographs of Roosevelt’s quotations than of the furnishings.
One quote especially caught my attention:
“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
As I walked through his presidential library and museum, another exhibit struck close to home. It described the creation of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which provided employment during the Great Depression by building roads, bridges, schools, and parks. I immediately thought of my grandfather, whose stories I had heard growing up. Unable to find work during those difficult years, he helped support his large family through WPA projects.
There isn’t enough room in this column to describe all of Roosevelt’s accomplishments. From Social Security and banking reforms to leading our nation through World War II, all while living with a disability believed to have been caused by polio, his influence on American history is impossible to ignore. Like every great leader, he had both strengths and weaknesses, but his legacy continues to shape our nation nearly a century later.
One of the stories that revealed Roosevelt’s more personal side was the famous “hot dog diplomacy” picnic of 1939. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Hyde Park as Europe stood on the precipice of war. Instead of a formal state dinner, the Roosevelts served hot dogs, Virginia ham, strawberry shortcake, beer, and soda.
Can you imagine the King and Queen of England sitting down to hot dogs?
According to the stories, the king enjoyed his meal so much that he asked for seconds, while the queen quietly watched Eleanor Roosevelt before deciding exactly how one eats a hot dog. The picnic was informal for a reason, to help the American public to see the royal couple as approachable while subtly building public support for aiding Britain. Sometimes historic decisions take place in government offices, and sometimes over a picnic table.
As we drove away from Hyde Park, I realized I had gathered far more than photographs and souvenirs. I came home with a renewed appreciation for the people whose decisions shaped our nation and a reminder that history is far more meaningful when you stand where it happened.
Yet the person who perhaps impressed me the most wasn’t President Franklin Roosevelt at all.
Eleanor Roosevelt was far more than a First Lady. She was a reformer, humanitarian, advocate, and a woman decades ahead of her time. She challenged expectations, opened doors for women in public life, and redefined what a First Lady could be. Her home at Val-Kill tells a remarkable story that deserves far more attention than I have space for today. I also want to share the story of Mills Mansion, because each of these historic places offered a different window into the people, values, and decisions that shaped our nation’s story.
Until next time, when we continue exploring the remarkable life of Eleanor Roosevelt.
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Rhonda S. Kelley is the executive director of the Juniata
River Valley Chamber of Commerce.