Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

The Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site can be found in a small community called Haviland which is in Hyde Park, Dutchess County, New York. To get to this historic park, you will have to follow Route 9-G for about six miles before turning north of Poughkeepsie. 

When you get to the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, you will find about 180 acres of land that has been protected since May 27, 1977, when it was authorized and established as a national monument by the U.S. Congress to commemorate the life and accomplishments of Eleanor Roosevelt.

The property was once a part of the Roosevelt family estate in Hyde Park, that included buildings and other historic features that Eleanor Roosevelt called Val-Kill. Eleanor Roosevelt built and shared Val-Kill and Val-Kill Industries with her friends Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook. At this place, they sought to employ local farming families in handcraft traditions. 

The larger Roosevelt often used Val-Kill's relaxed setting to also entertain political associates, world leaders, family, and friends. The Val-Kill Cottage, which is the focal point of this historic site, was converted to a home by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1937. Today, the grounds include flower gardens, fields, trails, wooded areas, and a pond. The cottage is also a museum that has restrooms and is useful for visitors who would like a guided tour of the protected property.

As with other national monuments and parks, dogs are allowed into the property albeit with some restrictions. For instance, no dogs are allowed into the park buildings like the Val-Kill, Stone Cottage, or any other structures for that matter. Additionally, when venturing into other areas of the park where dogs are allowed, it is expected that tail-waggers shall be kept on a leash that is not more than six feet long.