Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site - New York

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in New York was the first National Park Site dedicated to an American First Lady! Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt the 32nd President of the United States.

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Mrs. Roosevelt was an advocate for human rights, equality for women, and world peace.

About Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt owned property near Hyde Park, New York called Val-Kill that was a favorite retreat and picnic spot for the couple.

In the 1920s, Eleanor and two associates set up a business at Val-Kill employing local residents in making furniture and other items.

This business ran until 1936. When the business closed Eleanor Roosevelt converted the factory building into a cottage that is now known as Val-Kill Cottage.

When Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away Eleanor made Val-Kill Cottage her main home and lived there until 1962. The Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site offers guided tours of Val-Kill Cottage and showcases the work of this amazing first lady.

There is also a second building on site that was used as a retreat and political think tank by Eleanor and her friends. This building now houses displays and exhibits.

I have to tell you that the Eleanor Roosevelt NHS blew me away! I wasn't expecting to like it as much as we did. The house feels like you walked into your grandmother's house and it was comforting. I could imagine myself sitting down for dinner and being right at home.

Is Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site worth visiting?

Yes! Yes! Yes!

This is a site you definitely want to visit during a trip to Hyde Park, New York! We heard that a lot of people will skip this site thinking it is not worth visiting.

Trust me when I tell you this may be in my top 5 for National Historic Sites! My wife and I were both really inspired and actually ordered a few books on Eleanor Roosevelt off of Amazon right after the tour.

It is just down the street from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

The park serves as a window into Eleanor Roosevelts at Val Kill and her life as a lady of the world along with telling the story of American History during this time.

History of Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Val-Kill is the property which Franklin Roosevelt encouraged his wife Eleanor to develop and enjoy.

Val-Kill comprises the only National Historic Site named for a first lady.  The property sits approximately 2 miles east of Springwood, the Franklin D. Roosevelt home in Hyde Park, New York.

Eleanor Roosevelt was born October 11, 1884.  She is the niece of Theodore Roosevelt.  She grew up in a wealthy family but saw great value in community service work.

Her parents both died by the time she was 10, at which point she was raised by relatives.  At age 15 Eleanor enrolled at Allenwood in London.  It was here that Eleanor’s excitement for learning, travel and community service grabbed her heart.

When she moved back to New York, Franklin D. Roosevelt, a distant cousin of Eleanor’s began to court her.  They were married in 1905.

Theodore Roosevelt, then President of the United States, gave the bride away.  The couple then moved to Springwood in Hyde Park, New York.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President in 1933 and served until 1945.  He was the only president in history to serve more than two terms.

It was during this time that Eleanor was seen more as a political ally to her husband rather than just a first lady.

Since their marriage Eleanor had bought an all-girls school in Manhattan with two friends in which she taught at.  Eleanor was a strong supporter of women’s rights.

Between their marriage and his election to presidency, Roosevelt also served as Navy secretary and Governor of New York.

Once her husband was elected President, Eleanor often held regular press conferences for women correspondents.  She wrote a daily newspaper column and was a popular choice as speaker at many political events and educational institutions.

Her service passions included child welfare, equal rights for women and minorities and housing reform.

In 1911, Franklin D. Roosevelt bought the property in Hyde Park which would later be known as Val-Kill.  The property was used for the family to retreat to the outdoors and host picnics.

In 1924, Eleanor and her two close friends, Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman, decided to build a cottage they could retreat to and enjoy the area year-round.

Construction was completed in 1926 and Eleanor called the retreat “Val-Kill” which is loosely translated in Dutch to mean “valley stream.”

Val-Kill represented a symbol of independence for Mrs. Franklin.

In 1918, after discovering her husband’s long term affair with her secretary, the Franklin marriage had become more of a business partnership.

Eleanor supported her husband during his crippling polio which began in 1921, introducing him to new people and ideas that may have ultimately led him to his presidency in 1933.

For the first time in years, Eleanor felt that she had found her home.

Franklin’s mother was very involved in his political life and homes in Albany and at Hyde Park.

Eleanor got to work establishing a dream she and Franklin had long discussed.  One of her goals was to assist farmers in a means to make an income during the winter months.

With her friends Nancy and Marion, now all living at Val-Kill, a cabinet making factory was built.

The factory made many pieces of furniture for the President and other wealthy businesses around New York, but ultimately the business fell and the factory was closed in 1936.

Eleanor turned the factory into her own living quarters and in 1947, her friends Nancy and Marion moved out of Val-Kill, selling their interest to Eleanor.

Eleanor did split her time between Val-Kill, the White House, and Hyde Park, but after her husband’s death in 1945, Val-Kill became her permanent home.

It was during this time that Eleanor ignited her passion for service to human rights.  President Harry S. Truman appointed Eleanor a delegate to the United Nations where she served as chairman of the Commission of Human Rights.

Mrs. Roosevelt played a large part in the Democratic Party in the years preceding her death.  In 1961, President John. F. Kennedy appointed Eleanor chair of his Commission on the Status of Women.

Eleanor transformed Val-Kill into a paradise retreat for both her children and grandchildren to visit as well as national and world leaders, local youth and students.

There was a Doll House, a Play House and a swimming pool.  Nearby Fall Kill was dammed which created Val-Kill Pond, a central feature to the cottage and other buildings.

A large white pine plantation surrounds the area, which is often referred to as the “Secret Woods,” a place where Eleanor would read stories to her grandchildren.

The agricultural interests that Eleanor held dear to her heart was regained again, as after her husband’s death she and her son Elliot established Val-Kill Farms.

Other visitors to Val-Kill included Winston Churchill, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain, and Shirley Temple.

Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn retreated at Val-Kill before their marriage.

Eleanor would often sit outside at Val-Kill and write her daily newspaper column entitled “My Day.”  It was said when the weather was favorable, she would even sleep on the patio under the stars.

After Eleanor died of a rare form of tuberculosis in 1962, her son John sold the Val-Kill property to investors.

In 1975, a non-profit group, Val-Kill Industries, established after Eleanor began her furniture company, became determined to buy back the property and create a monument for the incredible first lady.

With the help of lead supporters: Val-Kill Industries, Nancy Dubner, an aide to New York Lt. Gov. Mary Ann Krupsak, and Eleanor’s oldest grandson Curtis, the property was approved as a National Historic Site by President Jimmy Carter and Congress in 1977.

Things to know before your visit to Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Entrance fee 

$0.00 - There are no fees to visit the park.

Your visit to Val-Kill includes a 45 minute guided tour of Val-Kill cottage, a twelve-minute orientation film on Eleanor Roosevelt called, "Close to Home," and exhibits.

Planning a National Park vacation? America the Beautiful/National Park Pass covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.

The park pass covers everyone in the car for per vehicle sites and for up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

Buy on REI.com and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.

Free Entrance Days  -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually. 

Time Zone 

EST - Eastern Standard Time

Pets 

 Pets must be on a leash at all times. Pets are not allowed within buildings. 

Park Hours

The park does close for a portion of the year so make sure to check that it is open for your visit.

Val-Kill Visitor Center - 9 am to 5 pm daily

Park hours - Sunrise to Sunset

Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day

Insect Repellent

Insect repellent is always a great idea when outdoors, especially if you are around any body of water. 

We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips. 

Water Bottle 

Make sure to bring your own water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.

Parking

There is a fairly good size gravel parking lot just down from the visitor center.

Food/Restaurants

There are no restaurants within the park.

Gas

There are no gas stations within the park.

Drones

Drones are not permitted within National Park Sites.

National Park Passport Stamps

National Park Passport stamps can be found in the visitor center.

Make sure to bring your National Park Passport Book with you or we like to pack these circle stickers so we don't have to bring our entire book with us. 

Eleanor Roosevelt NHS is part of the 2018 Passport Stamp Set.

Electric Vehicle Charging

The closest EV Charging Station is located on US 9, there are also charging stations in Staatsburg, New York.

Details about Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Size - 181 acres

Check out how the park compares to other National Parks by Size. 

Date Established 

May 27, 1977

Visitation 

In 2021, Eleanor Roosevelt NHS had 12,414 park visitors. 

In 2020, Eleanor Roosevelt NHS had 9,575 park visitors. 

In 2019, Eleanor Roosevelt NHS had 47,630 park visitors. 

Learn more about the most visited and least visited National Parks in the US

National Park Address

54 Val-Kill Park Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538

Located on Route 9G in the Town of Hyde Park, NY.

Where is Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site?

 Eleanor Roosevelt NHS located in Eastern New York State in Hyde Park. 

Estimated distance from major cities nearby

Poughkeepsie, NY - 9.3 miles

Cornwall, NY - 31.3 miles

Newark, NJ - 91.1 miles

New York, NY - 97.2 miles

Philadelphia, PA - 175 miles

Boston, MA - 202 miles

Rochester, NY - 288 miles

Baltimore, MD - 268 miles

Washington DC - 307 miles

Estimated Distance from nearby National Park

Shenandoah National Park - 374 miles

Acadia National Park - 469 miles

Cuyahoga Valley National Park - 471 miles

New River Gorge National Park - 574 miles

Indiana Dunes National Park - 777 miles

Where is the National Park Visitor Center?

There is a short walk from the main parking lot to the visitor center and Val-Kill Cottage. ADA sites are available closer to the visitor center. The walk is on gravel and crosses a bridge with a beautiful view of the cottage.

Getting to Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Closest Airports 

Stewart International Airport (SWF)

Westchester County Airport (HPN)

International Airports

Bradley International Airport (BDL)

LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Regional Airports

Teterboro Airport (TEB)

Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU)

Tweed New Haven Regional Airport (HVN)

Train Service

Amtrak can be ridden from Penn Station or the Metro-North Hudson Line can be ridden from Grand Central Terminal.

Driving Directions

From the New York State Thruway (I-87):

From either North or South Exit 18 (New Paltz), take 299 East, to 9W South, follow the signs to Mid-Hudson Bridge (also known as the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge).

After crossing bridge follow overhead signs to Route 9 North. Approximately 3 miles north you will pass the Culinary Institute of America. After the Culinary, at the first traffic light, take a right onto St. Andrews Rd. At the end of St. Andrews, take a left onto 9G North.

The entrance to Val-Kill is approximately ½ mile on the right.

Best time to visit Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

The best time to visit Eleanor Roosevelt NHS is from mid-June to mid-September.

The weather may be warm but it should be gorgeous.

Weather and Seasons

Hyde Park, New York experiences warm and wet summers along with cold and snowy winters. 

The warmest weather is from May 29 to September 16th with an average daily high above 74 degrees Fahrenheit.

The coldest weather is from December 1 to March 10th with an average daily high below 44 degrees Fahrenheit.

Snow is common from November 2 to April 14th. The snowiest month is January with an average of 11 inches.

June is the rainiest month in Hyde Park with an average rainfall of 3.8 inches.

Best Things to do in Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

 The one thing you want to make sure and do while visiting the park is the guided tour of Val Kill Cottage. It is truly amazing!

Visitor Center

The visitor center is a great place to start your tour! You can find out when the next Val-Kill tour is, pick up a junior ranger program, shop in the bookstore, and ask any questions you may have. The visitor center is not large but is a great starting point.

Junior Ranger Program 

You can download and print the Eleanor Roosevelt NHS Junior Ranger program at home to start learning more about this great park.

The Junior Ranger booklet will take between 30 and 90 minutes depending on the age of the participant. Many of the questions are answered during the home tour of Val-Kill.

Guided Tour of Val-Kill Cottage

Make sure and plan to take a tour of Val-Kill Cottage during your visit. This was one of the best national park site tours we have taken in over 250+ parks.

Our guide was Ranger Lexi and she was honestly fantastic. Her passion and excitement for Val-Kill Cottage and the Roosevelt's was contagious!

The tour lasts 45 minutes in the cottage! There is a 12-minute introductory film that plays at the beginning of the tour.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about Val-Kill and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Visitors are NOT allowed to bring the following items on the tour:

Baby Strolleres, infant carriers with handles, bags that exceed 11" x 15" in either dimension, tripods, or selfie sticks.

Flash photography is not allowed during the tour.

Roosevelt Vanderbilt Geocaching

The following geocaches are located at Eleanor Roosevelt N.H.S, Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt N.H.S, and Vanderbilt Mansion N.H.S:

• FDR's Bird Collection
• Italian Gardens
• FDR's Tree Plantations
• New York Central Railroad
• Ice Pond
• Strike and Dip in Hyde Park
• Top Cottage

Hyde Park Cell Phone Tour

Access free audio files by calling 845-475-3819 and entering the stop number. This is a great way to explore the historic sites.

Hiking in Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Always carry the  10 essentials for outdoor survival when exploring.

Eleanor's Walk

Distance - 1 mile
Difficulty - Moderate
Trailhead - From the parking lot follow the road when it forks to the right. The trailhead is straight ahead from there.

This walking path travels on woodland paths with some steep hills. The trail passes by historic buildings and through the woodlands.

Top Cottage Trail

Distance - 2 miles
Difficulty - Moderate
Trailhead - Beyond the access road to the parking lot.

This trail heads to the highest point on the Hyde Park Trail. Top Cottage was visited by kings, queens and foreign leaders during the 20th Century.

The Top Cottage Trail takes you to the cottage where FDR hosted meetings that would shape world history.

Visitors can enjoy epic views of the Hudson River Valley.

How to beat the crowds in Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site?

We did not encounter any crowds during our visit to the park. We always suggest arriving early in the day to make sure you can take a tour and have time to explore the park.

Where to stay when visiting Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

There are no National Park Lodges within the National Historic Site.

Quality Inn Hyde Park - Located in Hyde Park, Quality Inn Hyde Park Poughkeepsie North is in the historical district and near a train station. Quality Inn Hyde Park Poughkeepsie North provides amenities including a free breakfast buffet and a 24-hour gym. Guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.

Journey Inn Bed & Breakfast - 4-star bed & breakfast located in Hyde Park, Journey Inn Bed & Breakfast is in the historical district near Vanderbilt Mansion.

Courtyard by Marriott Poughkeepsie - Located in Poughkeepsie, Courtyard by Marriott Poughkeepsie is in a shopping district and near a metro station. A terrace, laundry facilities, and a fireplace in the lobby are just a few of the amenities provided at Courtyard by Marriott Poughkeepsie. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a 24-hour gym and a 24-hour business center.

Click on the map below to see current rates for vacation rentals and hotels in Hyde Park, New York.

Camping

There are no National Park Campgrounds in the park.

For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!

Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Orlando

Check out some of the campgrounds available in the area.

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp Resort - Gardiner, NY

This campground offers lodging, RV and Tent Sites, a beach, waterfront, boating, and a waterpark.

Skyway Camping Resort - Greenfield Park, NY

This campground offers lodging, RV and Tent Sites, a pool, fishing, and a dog park.

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Resort Birchwood Acres - Greenfield Park, NY

This campground offers lodging, RV and Tent Sites, waterfront, waterpark, pool, fishing and more.

Check out additional campgrounds in the area on Campspot.

Additional Resources

You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a more Fulfilling Life - Eleanor Roosevelt

The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 1, The Early Years, 1884 - 1933

Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 2, The Defining Years, 1933-1938

Eleanor Roosevelt: In Her Words: On women, politics, leadership, and lessons from life

Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

“I believe anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experience behind him.”

“Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn’t have the power to say yes.”

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose a challenge instead of competence.”

“You have to accept whatever comes, and the only important thing is that you meet it with the best you have to give.”

“To be mature you have to realize what you value most… Not to arrive at a clear understanding of one’s own values is a tragic waste. You have missed the whole point of what life is for.”

“Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”

“It is a brave thing to have courage to be an individual; it is also, perhaps, a lonely thing. But it is better than not being an individual, which is to be nobody at all.”

“I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday.”

“Your ambition should be to get as much life out of living as you possibly can, as much enjoyment, as much interest, as much experience, as much understanding. Not simply be what is generally called a ‘success.”

“Courage is exhilarating.”

“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose a challenge instead of competence.”

“My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.”

“Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.”

“We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it as not as dreadful as it appears, discovering that we have the strength to stare it down.”

“You can never really live anyone else’s life, not even your child’s. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you’ve become yourself.”

“In all our contacts it is probably the sense of being really needed and wanted which gives us the greatest satisfaction and creates the most lasting bond.”

“I am convinced that every effort must be made in childhood to teach the young to use their own minds. For one thing is sure: If they don’t make up their minds, someone will do it for them.”

“One thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else.”

“Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one. You cannot make any useful contribution in life unless you do this.”

“I think that somehow, we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.”

“Hate and force cannot be in just a part of the world without having an effect on the rest of it.”

“Understanding is a two-way street.”

“If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.”

“One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes…and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.”

"Every time you meet a situation you think at the time it is an impossibility and you go through the tortures of the damned, once you have met it and lived through it, you find that forever after you are freer than you were before.”

“Life is like a parachute jump, you’ve got to get it right the first time.”

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”

“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”

“Friendship with one’s self is all-important because, without it, one can not be friends with anyone else in the world.”

“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness you are able to give.”

“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.”

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway.”

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”

"You can often change your circumstances by changing your attitude”

“To be mature you have to realize what you value most… Not to arrive at a clear understanding of one’s own values is a tragic waste. You have missed the whole point of what life is for.”

“Since everybody is an individual, nobody can be you. You are unique. No one can tell you how to use your time. It is yours. Your life is your own. You mold it. You make it.”

“It is a brave thing to have courage to be an individual; it is also, perhaps, a lonely thing. But it is better than not being an individual, which is to be nobody at all.”

“We have to face the fact that either all of us are going to die together or we are going to learn to live together, and if we are to live together, we have to talk.”

"A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water."

"Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life."

"Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give."

"Have convictions. Be friendly. Stick to your beliefs as they stick to theirs. Work as hard as they do."

"One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes... and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility."

"Probably the happiest period in life most frequently is in middle age, when the eager passions of youth are cooled, and the infirmities of age not yet begun."

"The battle for the individual rights of women is one of long standing and none of us should countenance anything which undermines it."

Parks Near Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Saratoga National Historical Park - 102 miles

Fort Stanwix National Monument - 174 miles

Check out all of the New York National Parks along with neighboring National Parks in Vermont, National Parks in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania National Parks, New Jersey National Parks, Massachusetts National Parks, and Connecticut National Parks