From Riches to Rags
Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park
Franklin D. Roosevelt was born and raised in Hyde Park, New York. His family was very wealthy. While they had many servants, Franklin’s parents were both very hands on in their parenting and Franklin often went everywhere his parents went. His mother Sara continued to to be an important part of Franklin's life as an adult.
Education: He had private tutors, and later attended Groton which was a Prep School. He studied at Harvard and later Columbia for his law degree.
He married Eleanor Roosevelt in 1905 and they had 6 children.
He practiced law before he turned his eye to Politics, first as a New York State Senate Member and later as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He had an unsuccessful run for Vice President in 1920. All this came to a halt when he contracted Polio in 1921
Franklin D. Roosevelt was born and raised in Hyde Park, New York. His family was very wealthy. While they had many servants, Franklin’s parents were both very hands on in their parenting and Franklin often went everywhere his parents went. His mother Sara continued to to be an important part of Franklin's life as an adult.
Education: He had private tutors, and later attended Groton which was a Prep School. He studied at Harvard and later Columbia for his law degree.
He married Eleanor Roosevelt in 1905 and they had 6 children.
He practiced law before he turned his eye to Politics, first as a New York State Senate Member and later as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He had an unsuccessful run for Vice President in 1920. All this came to a halt when he contracted Polio in 1921
“Once you've spent two years trying to wiggle one toe, everything is in proportion.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1945
Franklin Roosevelt, Warm Springs, Georgia
Warm Springs
Three years after contracting Polio Franklin was still not recovered and he had lost the use of his legs. He was told about a place in Rural Georgia that had therapeutic spring water that could help his legs. Roosevelt traveled to Warm Springs, GA to try out the pools. Warm Springs was in a rural area, lacking most of the modern conveniences that FDR was used to in Hyde Park.
After spending time exercising in the pools he felt better than he had in the last 3 years. FDR also began to get involved in the community. He would take a drive and stop and talk to everyone he would see such as farmers. He grew to love the community and he really got to know the people and their lives. He bought land in Warm Springs and had a home built on top of the Mountain overlooking the valley which they called the Little White House. Warm Springs became a place Franklin and his family used as a retreat and a way to connect with the common man. He was able to speak with his neighbors and see what needs they had.
As more Polio victims began to arrive in Warm Springs to swim in the pools he eventually bought more property and began the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation. They added Doctors and Physical Therapists and eventually it was the place to go for Polio Patients for treatment and recovery. It had a school, a cafeteria and two pools, one indoor and one outdoor. They also had a brace maker on site that could make braces for every patient. Eventually it became the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation.
By 1928 feeling much stronger FDR returned to Politics, first as Governor of New York and later as President of the United States of America. He announced his run for President in Warm Springs. He was elected and went on to serve 4 terms as President. Many of the policies he came up with especially those related to the New Deal such as the REA and the CCC were sparked by his visits to Warm Springs. On a visit to Warm Springs in 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt died in his Little White House and the country as well as Warm Springs mourned his passing.
Three years after contracting Polio Franklin was still not recovered and he had lost the use of his legs. He was told about a place in Rural Georgia that had therapeutic spring water that could help his legs. Roosevelt traveled to Warm Springs, GA to try out the pools. Warm Springs was in a rural area, lacking most of the modern conveniences that FDR was used to in Hyde Park.
After spending time exercising in the pools he felt better than he had in the last 3 years. FDR also began to get involved in the community. He would take a drive and stop and talk to everyone he would see such as farmers. He grew to love the community and he really got to know the people and their lives. He bought land in Warm Springs and had a home built on top of the Mountain overlooking the valley which they called the Little White House. Warm Springs became a place Franklin and his family used as a retreat and a way to connect with the common man. He was able to speak with his neighbors and see what needs they had.
As more Polio victims began to arrive in Warm Springs to swim in the pools he eventually bought more property and began the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation. They added Doctors and Physical Therapists and eventually it was the place to go for Polio Patients for treatment and recovery. It had a school, a cafeteria and two pools, one indoor and one outdoor. They also had a brace maker on site that could make braces for every patient. Eventually it became the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation.
By 1928 feeling much stronger FDR returned to Politics, first as Governor of New York and later as President of the United States of America. He announced his run for President in Warm Springs. He was elected and went on to serve 4 terms as President. Many of the policies he came up with especially those related to the New Deal such as the REA and the CCC were sparked by his visits to Warm Springs. On a visit to Warm Springs in 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt died in his Little White House and the country as well as Warm Springs mourned his passing.