History Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

1 history

1.1 before library
1.2 location , buildings
1.3 other archives

history

built philadelphia contractor john mcshain, constructed on 16 acres (6.5 ha) of land donated president , mother, sara delano roosevelt. library resulted president s decision separate facility needed house vast quantity of historical papers, books, , memorabilia had accumulated during lifetime of public service , private collecting.

margaret suckley, acted roosevelt s personal archivist during life, involved in establishment of library , served archivist first 2 decades.

before library

prior roosevelt s presidency, final disposition of presidential papers left chance. although valued part of nation s heritage, papers of chief executives private property took them upon leaving office. sold or destroyed , either scattered or lost nation forever. others remained families, inaccessible scholars long periods of time. fortunate collections found way library of congress , private repositories.

roosevelt first make papers available public donating them government. in erecting library, roosevelt created institution preserve intact papers. these included papers political offices, new york state senator (1911–13), assistant secretary of navy (1913–20), governor of new york (1929–32), , president of united states (1933–45) , private collections of papers, books, , memorabilia on history of u.s. navy , dutchess county, new york.

location , buildings

fdr s study in museum

the library overcrowded when finished, because roosevelt did not expect serve president more 2 terms. 1950 estimate stated library contained 50 million items, including 16,000 books, 15,000 photographs, 275,000 feet of movie film, , 300 sound recordings. building built of hudson valley fieldstone in style reminiscent of local dutch colonial architecture favored. sketch made president roosevelt dated april 12, 1937, shows proposed building placed on grounds close site chosen , ground plan approximating of main block today. built privately donated funds, @ cost of $376,000 , turned on federal government on july 4, 1940 operated national archives. actions, roosevelt ensured papers become property of nation , housed in library on grounds of hyde park estate available scholars. robert d.w. connor, first archivist of united states, said of president, franklin d. roosevelt nation s answer historian s prayer.

in july 2015, archivist of united states david ferriero appointed paul m. sparrow new director of fdr library , museum.

other archives

in planning library president expressed hope eleanor roosevelt s papers find place here. in 1942 president roosevelt made rough sketch wings added on north , south sides of building should additional space needed papers. @ time of death in 1962 mrs. roosevelt s papers totaled 3 million pages.

during tenure @ library (1961-1969), elizabeth b. drewry raised funds wings house eleanor roosevelt s papers. construction completed in 1972.

the library contains donated papers of others associated roosevelt, such henry morgenthau, jr. s diary of 840 volumes.