Do You Know The Franklin D Roosevelt Presidential Library is the First in The World?

It was conceived and built under President Roosevelt's direction during 1939-40 on 16 acres of land in Hyde Park, New York, donated by the President and his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt. The library resulted from the President's decision that a separate facility was needed to house the vast quantity of historical papers, books, and memorabilia he had accumulated during a lifetime of public service and private collecting.


Prior to Roosevelt's Presidency, the final disposition of Presidential papers was left to chance. Although a valued part of the nation's heritage, the papers of chief executives were private property which they took with them upon leaving office. Some were sold or destroyed and thus either scattered or los t to the nation forever. Others remained with families, but inaccessible to scholars for long periods of time. The fortunate collections found their way into the Library of Congress and private repositories. 

STATUE OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND HIS WIFE

In erecting his library, Roosevelt created an institution to preserve intact all his papers. These included papers from all his political offices, New York state senator (1910-13), assistant secretary of the Navy (1913-19), governor of New York (1929-32), and President of the United States (1933-45) and his private collections of papers, books, and memorabilia on the history of the U.S. Navy and Dutchess County, New York. 

The Library itself is built of Hudson Valley fieldstone in the style reminiscent of the local Dutch colonial architecture which FDR favored. A sketch made by President Roosevelt dated April 12, 1937, shows the proposed building placed on the grounds very close to the site ultimately chosen and a ground plan roughly approximating that of the main block today.  


 FDR's original pencil sketch of the Library, drawn April 12, 1937.

SOURCE: FDR PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
PICTURES CREDIT: FDR PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY