Hyde Park, NY

From the Gilded Age to the New Deal – Hyde Park, NY

Traveling up the Hudson we quickly left the big city towers behind us for the soothing cliffs of New Jersey and the rolling hills of the Hudson Valley.  It is no longer a puzzle why this area has been so popular with artists and the rich seeking refreshment.  It was surprising how rapidly the landscape became heavily wooded with only minor signs of the densely populated areas close by. Our departure was shrouded in mist and low clouds which did not burn off until late in the afternoon as we rounded Croton Point to anchor in Half Moon Bay. Dock Master, Steve, at the marina kindly let us use his dock for a run into the wonderful deli/grocery called Zeytenia where we had lunch and bought essentials. For dinner we were joined by long time Saudi Aramco friend Ellen Camillieri – Ellen and Julia met in birthing classes before Andrea and Angela were born almost 30 years ago. She just returned to her home in Croton-on-Hudson from her son’s wedding in Greensboro, SC. We were fortunate that our paths could cross again after many years of corresponding and catch up on our activities face to face.

 

 The next morning we continued north under foggy and misty conditions suitable for the Sleep Hallow local we passed through – even heard the gods doing a little bowling.

 

From Croton Point we caught a favorable tide and quickly arrived at the mooring balls in front of the Vanderbilt National Historic site at Hyde Park Landing. There are only two balls available for visitors and only one suitable for our length of boat, so we were fortunate no one else was sitting on the ball we needed. The owner is Pete and we learned his story when we caught him at home to pay for the two nights here.  His family had railroad connections – not like the Vanderbilts, rather they worked on the railroads.  As a result his grandfather lived between the Hyde Park station and the Vanderbilt mansion.  Pete told us that Mrs. V did not like to drive by his grandfather’s dilapidated house so she had the railroad build him a new one and tear down the one she disliked.  This same house is now Pete’s with a few radical additions and improvements.  The waterfront view and his marina make it possible to stop here since the 50+ foot depths make anchoring problematic.

 

From here we walked to the Vanderbilt “Cottage” catching the afternoon tour of this the smallest estate in the Vanderbilt family.  The Hyde Park mansion was the spring and fall home of Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt, and it is only ‘small’ compared to the Biltmore estate. When they constructed the home in the later years of the 19^th century, it was state of the art with indoor plumbing and electricity (DC). More than twice the cost of the construction was spent on the furnishings and décor. This example of how the rich lived in the Gilded Age was home to Frederick until his death and only a few years after that it was deeded to the National Park Service by his heirs. As a result the furnishings and decorations are intact much as they were in Fredrick’s lifetime. This small house was a show place of Vanderbilt wealth and greatly influenced by all things French. Louise’s bedroom, for example, was patterned after Marie Antoinette’s. Layer upon layer of decoration were lavished on each public room from coffered or painted ceilings to Persian carpeted floors. Even the butler’s pantry was handsome with elegant built-in cabinetry. The bathrooms might be starkly plain by modern standards, but gracious nonetheless with marble and fancy plumbing, and very spacious. The estate included much more than just the main house.  There were Italian gardens, guest houses, a carriage or coach house, two gate houses and beautiful manicured park lands featuring a stream and several elaborate bridges. All of this beauty included more than a mile of Hudson River waterfront views. We managed to complete our tour before the afternoon rains drenched us – making us feel like we were back in the tropics.

 

Relaxing on the back deck as the mists cleared and evening descended was another tough duty end of a day – until our peace was interrupted by a couple of BIG barges – one of which anchored in the middle of the river just beyond us.  The noise quieted down when the pilot boat finally left but they burned their spotlights all night.

 

 

 

As we set off in the morning for the Franklyn D. Roosevelt library and home our host, Pete, met us and gave us a ride so we could be undercover before the promised rains caught up with us.  Our timing was perfect and we joined the tour just starting toward the big house. The structure we see today is dramatically different from the one FDR’s father purchased in 1867. The original farm house was remodeled several times by his father and again after FDR married Eleanor to accommodate their large family and his mother.  But, this house, Springwood, was really owned by FDR’s mother until her death a few short years before his in 1945 when it immediately became a national historic site and opened to the public. So, the house we visited has been preserved as FDR’s birthplace, home and presidential library with all of his archives, collections and furnishings.  Many historic meetings took place on this estate including a visit by Britain’s King George V in 1939 where the Roosevelt served him hot dogs and discussed the lend-lease agreements to help the British fight Hitler. The furnishings here are more personal than ostentatious as we saw at the Vanderbilt estate. While the public rooms were large the furnishings appeared collected over time. Things did not necessarily match but were antiques chosen for their beauty and utility.  Several walls in the entry hall were covered with prints and paintings of ships. One wall had framed magazine cartoons poking fun at the English. (Apparently a big hit with the King!) There was also a case with FDR’s childhood collection of stuffed birds which I found interesting.  The main family room had one entire wall of books. In fact, the piles of books in almost every room hint at the family’s love of reading. The upstairs bedrooms were roomy but not cavernous and furnished for comfort more than show. While important dignitaries were entertained here, the people and not the house were the attraction. As at the Vanderbilt estate, the grounds were also extensive. In fact, at his death FDR owned 1600 acres from his waterfront on the Hudson to his hilltop retreat – Top Cottage.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using the park service shuttle we also visited the special hideaway and home of Eleanor Roosevelt, Val Kill. This more modest house was her home until her death in 1962. The decorations have been recreated based on the photo archive made shortly after her death. Some of the furnishings are original pieces being returned to the home and others have been duplicated. This more cozy space is livable and a sharp contrast to the splendor and excess at the Vanderbilt home or the grand scale of the big house, Springwood. Sadly due to the “sequester” and mandatory cuts in the Park Service budget, Top Cottage is not open this season. Fortunately the shuttle was running and after watching a film on Eleanor and one on FDR, we hitched a ride back to the Vanderbilt Mansion and walked down hill to our mooring – again mostly avoiding another rain shower.  Even the rainy weather could not dull the glitter of the gilded age and the profound common sense and energy of the Roosevelts. Many of our best national parks we owe to Teddy Roosevelt, but it is Eleanor and Franklyn that we thank for the foresight in preserving both their estate and the Vanderbilt home at Hyde Park. Surely the combined contributions of this family go far beyond these buildings, but that they are here to remind us of their lives is no small thing, and I have been inspired to add several titles to my reading list. I just want to know how Eleanor lived most of her married life in her husband’s mother’s house!! Also, why was Frederick Vanderbilt the only one of his generation to build his fortune while the others spent theirs? Fortunately we have plenty of time for reading!