FDR & The Little White House
Written by Administrator | 
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt is, for more than a few reasons, one of my heroes. On December 29, I toured the Little White House for the second time, but remembered to bring my camera this time!
When you approach it, overlooking a pine tree-covered ravine, the Little White House looks much like it did in FDR’s time.
I believe this is one of the best restored and preserved historical sites in the country, as you'll see in the photos below.
FDR's cottage at Warm Springs, Georgia picked up the name "Little White House" during his Presidential terms of 1933 through 1945. President Roosevelt, who had purchased the land and built the cottage prior to taking office, came here to use the hot springs and polio therapy pools in the local area, even while continuing to perform his Presidential duties.
Once you proceed up the "Walk of States",
past the flags and native rock from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the US territories, you enter a small museum where some very interesting items are on display:
...like FDR's hat that he wore while campaigning for election which is covered with autographs and comments from voters he met along the way...
...and the newspaper announcing his death.
On your way to The Little White House, you walk past the Secret Service and Marine sentry posts at the gate...
...while other Marine sentry posts await their sentinels
around the perimeter.
Walking in the side door of The Little White House,
you enter the kitchen which is ready for the cook...
...with all sorts of pots, pans and utensils...
...and a closet full of Presidential china.
You almost expect to hear FDR's voice coming through the door from the next room!
When you enter the main room in The Little White House, you feel like you're stepping into the pages of history. On one side of the room is the desk and chair where FDR was sitting for a portrait while working on some paperwork when he was struck by a cerebral hemorrhage...
...and on the other side of the room is the unfinished portrait.
You can almost see the scene the Presidential secretary saw as he looked from his room to see the stricken president...
...slumped in his chair in front of the painter...
...only to see the President die in his bed a little later.
The Little White House is full of history...and a legend.
Legend has it that when FDR died in the Little White house, his dog, Fala, broke through the screen at the lower right corner of the front window by the door...
...ran up the walkway from the green smoking lamp that was lit only when the President was present...
...to the flagpole area where he howled to the winds...
...crying inconsolably for FDR, his friend and master.
(Is the legend true? Quite possibly as it matches contemporary recollections and the lower right window to the left of the front door is the only one in the house with new screening material on it. All the other windows still have their original screening materials.)
