Westward HO 2017!!!: FDR's Little White House

August 2-3, 2017

After seeing FDR's and Eleanor's home and cottages at Hyde Park last summer, we wanted to see his place in Warm Springs as well. After about a 7 hour drive we arrived in the tiny town of Warm Springs, GA to our mom and pop motel The Meriwether Country Inn. We realized too late that we should have stayed at Pine Mountain, GA and come over to Warm Springs. Sadly this darling town is really depressed. Much is closed and what restaurants there are close at 2:30 unless it's the weekend. Fortunately, we found Mac's Bar B Que close by. We were able to get takeout and bring it back to our room which worked for us.

Needless to say, our Inn is nothing like the original ramshackle Victorian Meriwether Inn & resort that FDR bought in 1927 when he decided he liked this little, sleepy town & it's warm springs. Many of you might remember the stories of FDR going there to exercise in the Warm Springs pool that was fed by springs that maintained a constant 88 degrees. While NY's Governor FDR built the Little White House in 1932. A year later, he had the inn razed to build Georgia Hall which was the beginning of his rehabilitation center for polio victims like himself. http://gastateparks.org/LittleWhiteHouse

As you watch the movie and listen to the park rangers, you get the sense that he really came here not only to exercise, but to get away and be among the people. His house is really surprising in it's simplicity. From the outside it has a Federal Style elegance, but inside, he worked with his GA architect, Henry Toomb to include unfinished log beams and rough wood paneling throughout. Most of the reproduction Colonial furnishings came from Eleanor's Val-Kill furniture factory, His decorating reflected his love for the sea with nautical artwork throughout. The Little White House only had 3 bedrooms, his, Eleanor's or family members and Missy LaHand's, his personal secretary for 21 years.

Hadn't seen this sign before

Here's the site's overview

We loved his roadster

On the left you can see how it was equipped so he could drive it.

They actually used this Tally Ho too...

A serene setting among the trees on top of Pine Mountain

You can see how tiny it is here

On the right a bit of the back porch is showing

There is a wheelchair ramp on the right, if he wanted to go into the kitchen, but he could enter through the front door.

On the left you are seeing his secretary's bedroom, but this half is the living room

The chair and table where he had his stroke

The dining room half of the room and looking through on the right into his bedroom

Looking from the White House back to the servant's quarters/garage on the left and guest cottage on the right

The unfinished portrait that the artist was painting when FDR had his stroke, she later finished another one using photos she and others had taken

The warm spring pools are still solid, but they have built new ones so these aren't used anymore

August 4-6, 2017

We traveled to Indianapolis to see the girls and leave Lily here. We had a delicious pizza with them Friday night. For my birthday we were able to drive to Indy's Broad Ripple neighborhood to walk the Monon and eat a late lunch at an awesome Greek/Mediterranean restaurant Canal Bistro. We definitely needed to do a bit of walking after that lunch...WOW!!! Rene's Bakery was our next stop to pick up a slice of cake and macaroons for our dessert. Got to Facetime with Mike, Katie and ElleBelle. Our little one is getting so big fast! We came back and watched the movie I had wanted to see with Morgan Freeman, Alan Arkin, Christopher Lloyd, Ann Margaret and Michael Caine, "Going in Style." Very enjoyable!!! All in all a good birthday!!!