Better Late Than Never: Day Three of My Hyde Park Adventure

I do apologize for the 'late' entry here: procrastination got the better of me for the last month, and I haven't concluded recounting my 'excellent' adventure in Hyde Park, New York, in November 2011.   But I'm doing that right now...

Day Three, 10 November 2011, dawned bright with unseasonable warmth.   I slept OK overnight, except for a case of 'twitchy legs'.   I hate those....!   I waited to finish packing up until I had breakfast at the Roosevelt Inn: more bagels and cream cheese, with a banana and orange juice.   After I completed packing, and loaded my things into the car, I went to the office to pay my bill.   As I approached the office door, I noticed a Welsh Corgi on the other side, barking at me.   This was "Minna", the canine 'desk clerk': the Inn's manager, a lovely lady from Finland, encouraged me to come in.

Minna, as it turned out, loves the Inn's guests.   She let me pet her, and got very excited when I made a fuss over her (photo left).   Minna's mistress has run the Roosevelt Inn for over thirty years: she told me her German-born husband had recently passed away: he had been born in East Prussia--the part of Germany that was given to Poland after Germany's defeat in the Second World War.   I mentioned that my mother's family was also from Germany, but in the western part of the country.

Minna, for her part, was so excited by all the attention, she wouldn't look at me, while I tried to take her photo.   The one at the left is one of the best.

Before I left, I assured Minna's mistress that I would be back in Hyde Park again, and staying at the Roosevelt Inn: I enjoyed the hospitality, and said I would recommend the Inn to others.   After giving Minna one last scratch on the head, I was on my way.

The night before, I had decided to take the more 'scenic route' home.   I decided against going back on the New York State Thruway because it is an incredibly boring drive at high-speed.   I decided to take US Route 9 north to near Albany, and then go US Route 20 west.   It would take a longer time, yes--but there's a change in road speeds, along with changes of scenery.

Before leaving Hyde Park, I returned to the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, and retrace the path that Allen Packwood and I had trod the day before--but at a more leisurely pace.   The ground was damp from overnight dew--but there were few people about, except staff working on the restoration project at the FDR Presidential Library building.

Behind the Library, I noticed three large sculpture busts standing all alone: two were of President Roosevelt--and one was of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (photo right).   Normally, they would be standing within the Library building.   But during the restoration work, they were moved outside, a few feet from the rear entrance.   Needless to say, I was surprised to see these: I wish Allen and I had found them the day before!

Doing some research after the trip, I discovered this bust was created by the same sculptor who did a similar Churchill bust at Churchill College in Cambridge, England.   I saw that particular sculpture in November 2010, when I first met Allen at his office at the Churchill Archives Centre.   This Hyde Park bust shows both Churchill's strength and determination.

Retracing my steps to the nearby Rose Garden, I took a couple more photos of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt graves--and the grave of Roosevelt's Scottie, 'Fala'.   On a nearby National Park Service marker, I found an interesting and sad photo of Eleanor Roosevelt accompanying Churchill on a visit to Franklin Roosevelt's grave in March 1946 (photo left).   Churchill looks utterly sad, as he gazes at the grave of his wartime colleague.   He must have been devastated, when he first received the news of Roosevelt's untimely death in April 1945.

Near the Rose Garden is the main house, Springwood, where Franklin Roosevelt was born.   During his presidency, he used this house as a summer home, and a retreat from wartime stress.   Just before the Second World War broke out, the Roosevelts invited Britain's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, to a picnic at nearby Top Cottage.  It was here that the King and Queen tried American hot dogs for the first time!

Springwood itself is also undergoing some restoration work.   Most of it appears to be happening at the rear of the house.   The view from the sweeping front drive is beautiful: it must have been a hive of activity when the Roosevelts and their children were in residence.   And poor Eleanor had to deal with her husband's overprotective and domineering mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt.

The views of the Hudson River Valley, behind Springwood, are spectacular.   And even though the leaves were mostly off the trees, it was still a beautiful thing to behold.

I made my way slowly back to the Wallace Educational Center, next door to the Library.   I wanted to see if the gift shop was open--but, alas, I was too early.   It didn't open until 10 am, and it was just after 9 am when I arrived.   I did, however, do some wandering about outside, and got some photos of a really nice dual sculpture of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, seated on a terrace outside the Center (photo right).  

There's even a spot for visitors to sit next to the President, to have their photos taken.   On the Roosevelt Inn's Web site, little Minna had her chance to sit next to Franklin Roosevelt!

Going back inside the Center, I found the sculpture of "Fala" that sits next to the Visitor Information desk.   Allen had pointed it out to me the day before, but I was unable to get a photo of it then.   So I took the opportunity to get one this time around (photo left).  

If there was a poll asking people who the most famous White House pet was (or is), I am sure many people would pick "Fala".   His master spoke of him often enough!

Right after I took this photo, I left the park.   But before I left Hyde Park itself, I made a couple more photo stops.   One was at The Eveready Diner, where Allen and I had lunch the day before.   I'll never forget their very filling dinners from Tuesday and Wednesday evening!    A must-stop for any future Hyde Park visit.

My final Hyde Park stop was at the St James Episcopal Church (photo left), where the Roosevelts worshiped during their stays at Springwood.   It was consecrated in October 1811, as the only Protestant Episcopal congregation north of Poughkeepsie, and south of Hudson, New York.   The first congregational meeting was held in March 1812.   Many of the prominent families in the Hyde Park area were members of St James' congregation--including the Livingston and Lewis families.   Many members of these families were buried in the cemetery behind the church--including one Robert Livingston, who was a drafter (but not a signer) of the Declaration of Independence.

My main reason for stopping at the St James Church cemetery was to see if Sara Delano Roosevelt was buried there.   She died in Hyde Park in September 1941, and her funeral was held at St James.   Sadly, I could not find her grave, if it was there.   I did see some rather impressive mausoleums of the 'local gentry', however--including that of the above-mentioned Robert Livingston.

I also saw a very poignant memorial marker (photo left), for Paul E. Tegtmaier, a former member of the Hyde Park Fire Department.   He had moved to New York City and joined the FDNY--only to perish in the World Trade Center's North Tower, on 11 September 2001.   No trace of this young man was ever found.

The cemetery itself was very quiet, except for lawn-mowing being done by a groundskeeper.   The leaves beneath my feet crunched, as I walked along the graveyard's paths.   Then: lo and behold, I saw something moving between two of the mausoleums: it was a large deer: it looked like a buck, but I couldn't be sure.   We looked at each other for a long time, and I stepped forward, one step at a time, to try and get a good photo.   The deer snorted a little, but made no initial attempt to run away.   Eventually, it scampered off to my left, amongst the gravestones, and towards busy US Route 9.

I hope the creature was able to cross the road safely.   I didn't see it again once I left the church grounds.

Soon, it was time to get back on the road.   I had a wonderful drive through some beautiful and historic Hudson Valley towns, like Rhinebeck.   I love seeing the farmland, and all the wonderful old buildings.  And it was hard to leave such a wonderful area like the Hudson Valley.   Especially when I reached Albany, the state capital of New York.   Driving through that city's not for the faint of heart, or the 'directionally-challenged'!

After i crossed the Hudson River, I found myself at the foot of one of Albany's more monstrous building sites: the Empire State Plaza, where many state Government offices are located.   I was looking for the way to US Route 20, and had to drive through some congested streets to get there.   I followed a set of signs to Route 20--only to have them disappear from sight, on a narrow side street lined with restored old town-houses.   Good thing I decided not to get off this particular street, because eventually I found my way out of Albany proper--and right onto US Route 20.

The sun stayed out all during my drive north on US Route 9.   Until I left the Albany city limits, that is.  Then, the skies darkened, and the rain came pouring down--all while I'm literally driving up-hill-and-down-dale on Route 20.   I must confess it is a very scenic roadway, full of historic towns and villages, and incredible scenery.   But it was probably not a good choice, for driving in the rain, and the darkening skies!

Eventually, the rain ended as I reached the village of Manlius, just outside Syracuse.   It was dry as I arrived home around 4 pm....but no sooner did I get the car unloaded and my baggage brought inside, but the heavens opened with another heavy downpour!

All in all: my Hyde Park visit was a great success.   It was a pleasure to see Allen again, nearly a year since our visit in Cambridge.    And he was happy with what I had found about Leonard Jerome, for use in next year's Churchill exhibition at the Morgan Library in New York City.   That alone made it all worthwhile.