Franklin Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park, Dutchess County, NY on January 30, 1882, and it remained his home even while he was away at school, in Washington, DC, as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and as President, and in Albany, NY, as Governor. As a result he had many opportunities to contribute to and participate in groups, organizations, and activities where he grew up and spent his life.

During the Great Depression jobs were hard to come by so many young people in their late teens and early 20s ‘took to the rails’ and traveled from town to town by hopping slow moving trains. Hobos were honest, hardworking young people who would do odd jobs – rake leaves, paint barns and houses, chop wood, pick fruit and so forth in exchange for a good meal and a safe place to sleep. Because they were always entering new and unfamiliar places with unknown dangers, Hobos developed their own special code to communicate and warn each other of dangers and opportunities.

One of the Roosevelt family’s favorite summer time foods was the American classic, a good old fashioned hot dog! The Roosevelts loved picnics and cookouts and you can bet that hot dogs would have a prominent place on the menu. One time the Roosevelts had the King and Queen of England for a picnic in Hyde Park, and yes, they even served them hot dogs!

Eleanor Roosevelt liked to keep busy and she was constantly on the go – attending meetings, advocating for causes, or writing articles, essays, and books about issues that were important to her. Throughout these activities she kept her knitting bag close at hand to make items like hats, sweaters, or baby clothes she would be give to friends and family as heartfelt, homespun gifts on special occasions or at the holidays.

President Roosevelt loved birds. As a boy he spent many hours in the woods and fields of his family’s estate searching for and observing the wide variety of birds that live in or visit the Hudson Valley of New York.

FDR loved movies. Movies offered him a temporary escape from the pressures and burdens of the Presidency which were extraordinarily heavy during the Great Depression and World War II. He especially liked comedies, particularly the work of the 1930s and 1940s comedy team Abbott and Costello. He even invited them to perform at the White House several times while he was President.

During the Great Depression FDR’s New Deal created a series of programs designed to put millions of unemployed people to work. One of his favorites was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which built recreational trails and facilities, many still in use today.

For more information contact the FDR Library's Education Specialist Jeffrey Urbin: [email protected].