FDR's Little White House

This was my first visit to Warm Springs, GA and to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Little White House. It was a very interesting tour, and I learned a lot about that period of history.

The entrance buildings house a museum and gift shop.

Inside the museum is a life-size model of FDR in a wheelchair. 

His paralysis was caused by polio which he contracted in 1922 at about 40 years of age. He first came to Warm Springs in hopes of finding a cure in the warm mineral water. Not many pictures show FDR in a wheelchair or appearing to be handicapped in any way. He was always able to exude power, charisma, and confidence to those around him.

This display was twice as big as the photo shows and shows all the various carved canes he received as gifts. 

FDR's 1938 Ford was custom made for him with hand controls at the Georgia prison factory. This was the last car he drove at Warm Springs. 

Although the springs did not bring the cure he hoped for, the exercise did relax and tone his muscles. He created a foundation to bring other polio victims here for the therapeutic benefits. 

About the treatment Center at Warm Springs. 

The circa 1800 stagecoach, "Tally-Ho" was acquired by FDR when he purchased the Meriwether Inn Resort to establish his treatment center for polio patients. It was used by Foundation staff and patients in parades in Warm Springs through the years.

FDR became president at the height of the Great Depression. He communicated his plans and confidence for recovery in a series of Fireside Chats via radio. Many of these were recorded at the Little White House in Warm Springs.

  One of FDR's New Deal agencies was based on his getting to know his Georgia neighbors, and observing the need for electricity in rural farms.

 The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor brought us into World War II, and another crisis in FDR's presidency. His leadership also brought the country together and lifted us out of the Depression.

These small Bibles with a personal message from FDR were handed out to soldiers going to war. 

The Little White House is also where FDR died after suffering a stroke while sitting for a portrait. The unfinished portrait is on display here as well as a later portrait that the artist finished to show what she thought it would have looked like had he lived.

Walking toward the Little White House. The two buildings in the foreground are a guest house on the left and servant's quarters on the right with a garage underneath.

My RVing friend, Brenda, in front of the Little White House.

A plaque outside. 

We enter through the kitchen. This icebox was kept on the small porch outside the kitchen.

The pantry. Notice the note written beside the doorframe at left. FDR's cook wrote that note in pencil (above the white sign) on the day FDR died. It has been preserved like the rest of the house as it appeared that day. 

 There's a roll of paper towels above the sink, hanging from a coat hanger.

 The note.

Wishbones hanging on the kitchen wall have been preserved as well.

The dish cupboard.

The living room chair where FDR sat for his portrait. It is where he collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage. 

The other side of the room was the dining area. Notice the easel on the right. 

You pass through the Legacy building on your way out. It is where the Unfinished Portrait is now on display.

FDR's last day. 

The "Finished Portrait" was painted to honor the 25th anniversary of FDR's death.

FDR was carried to the adjoining bedroom after his collapse. He later died in this bed.

Notice that FDR died at 3:35 Central War Time. "In 1942, at the height of World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted year-round Daylight Saving Time in the United States. Referred to as “War Time”, DST was in force continuously from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945.

During this time, the US time zones were called “Eastern War Time”, “Mountain War Time”, “Central War Time”, and “Pacific War Time”. After the surrender of Japan in mid-August 1945, the time zones were relabeled “Peace Time”."

Notes FDR made to a speech he was working on his last day. Still good advice today.

The Pine Mountain Valley Project was one of FDR's effort to resettle city welfare recipients back to the country where they could become self sufficient again. I like that it was not a gift/welfare, but a loan to be repaid.

My campground (FDR State Park) was on Pine Mountain. It was one of FDR's favorite getaway spots when he was in Georgia.

He was instrumental in having the road built over the mountain and picnic areas built.

Dowdell's Knob was one of FDR's favorite spots.

He would drive up here and have his staff remove one of the car seats for him to sit on. 

This was his view of the valley. I'm sure it is here that he conceived his resettlement plan. 

Some of the farm houses built as part of that plan are still lived in today. 

I was honored to sit beside him and admire the same view he enjoyed. 

Providence Canyon

Providence Canyon, sometimes called Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon," near Lumpkin, Georgia is one of the places I wanted to stop and do some hiking on my way north.

The massive gullies, up to 150 feet deep, that make up the canyon were caused by erosion, simply due to poor farming practices during the 1800s.

This historical marker tells a little bit about the start of the Providence farming community.

The second Providence Methodist Church was built about 1859 next to the Lowe Cemetery. 

One door was ajar, so I could get a couple of inside pictures. Notice what appear to be oil lanterns hanging from the ceiling. 

And the old stove. 

This marker was by the church and cemetery.

We wandered among the circa 1800s graves, but we did not locate the Lowes. Some graves were not marked. Thistle said it was getting too hot to keep looking.

There are a lot of warning signs outside the Visitor Center.

My original desire was to hike into the canyon, but I got started on my trip a month later than planned, and it is much too hot to attempt it now. 

It's hard to miss all these warning signs. 

This sand painting is meant to represent the colorful layers of the canyon walls.

Thistle and I decided it was prudent to stick to the shady rim trail during this visit. 

And he quickly let me know that it was nearing 90 degrees and was really too hot for him even on the rim trail. 

So I got pictures of some of the views from the rim before we returned to our air-conditioned car.

There is water on the canyon floor all year, and that water eventually flows into the Chattahoochee River.

The canyon soil's pink, orange, red and purple hues create lovely landscape photos of this quiet park.

Erosion is an ongoing event in the canyon.

And at least some of it is caused by hikers ignoring the "No Climbing" warnings. 

This hiker climbed all the way to the top of the photo...and without any climbing gear. 

Every now and then they have a ranger-led geology hike here. I signed up for one when I thought I would be here in March, but had to cancel. Maybe next year I can take one. 

When I come back in cooler weather, I will leave Thistle home for the hike into the canyon.