Springwood Estate
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Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt
National Historic Site |
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Springwood Estate at Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. Photo taken June 13, 2015.
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| Location | Hyde Park, NY |
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| Nearest city | Poughkeepsie |
| Coordinates | 41°46′1.95″N 73°56′8.0″W / 41.7672083°N 73.935556°WCoordinates: 41°46′1.95″N 73°56′8.0″W / 41.7672083°N 73.935556°W |
| Area | 800 acres (3.24 km²) |
| Built | 1800-1845 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Italianate |
| Visitation | 108,611 (2005) |
| Website | Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site |
| NRHP Reference # | 66000056 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHS | January 15, 1944 |
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site preserves the Springwood estate in Hyde Park, New York. Springwood was the birthplace, lifelong home, and burial place of the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The National Historic Site was established in 1945.
In 1697, the English Crown gave a 220 square miles (570 km2) land grant (the "Great Nine Partners Patent") to a group of nine businessmen from New York City. The land extended from the Hudson River on the west to the border with Connecticut on the East. To ensure equal access to the river for all partners, the land on the shore of the river was divided into nine "Water Lots", one of which Springwood was located on and was granted to William Creed, one of the nine partners.
While the early history of the house on the Springwood estate remains unclear, it is believed that the central portion of the present day house is formed by a large farmhouse which was constructed around the year 1800 in the Federal style. In 1845, the estate was purchased by Josiah Wheeler, a merchant from New York City. Wheeler undertook a remodeling of the house, giving it a then fashionable Italianate style with a three-story tower at the south end as well as front and rear piazzas spanning the entire length of the house. After this remodeling, the house comprised a total of 15 rooms.
In 1866, the estate which had been reduced to approximately one square mile (2.5 square kilometers), was bought by James Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt's father, for US$ 40,000, at a time when a textile worker's earnings were less than a dollar a day. The property featured a stable and horse track, which was important to James because he took great interest in horse breeding. From the date of purchase until his death 34 years later in 1900, James made many improvements of the house and property. He enlarged the servants' wing of the building, adding two rooms, and had a spacious carriage house built in the vicinity.
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