Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

The Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, New York is a must-visit for those interested in the life and legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt.


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Summary

The site includes the Stone Cottage, Val-Kill Cottage, and the surrounding gardens and grounds.

Visitors can tour the Stone Cottage, where Eleanor lived after the death of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The cottage is filled with personal items and memorabilia, including her famous “My Day” column desk. Val-Kill Cottage, which was her personal retreat and later became a factory for her furniture-making business, is also open for tours.

Other points of interest include the visitor center, which offers exhibits on Eleanor’s life and work, and the gardens and grounds, which were designed by the famous landscape architect Beatrix Farrand.

Interesting facts about the site include the fact that it was bequeathed to the National Park Service by Eleanor herself, and that it was the only National Historic Site dedicated to a First Lady until the creation of the Betty Ford Center in 1987.

The best time of year to visit is between May and October, when the site is open for tours. However, visitors should be aware that the site is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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