Roosevelt Campobello International Park preserves the house and surrounding landscape of the summer retreat of
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
,
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...
and their family. It is located on the southern tip of
Campobello Island
Campobello Island (, also ) is the largest and only inhabited island in Campobello, a civil parish in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada, near the border with Maine, United States. The island's permanent population in 2021 was 949. It is the s ...
in the
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
, and is connected to the mainland by the
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Bridge, at
Lubec, Maine
Lubec ( ) is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. It is the easternmost municipality in the contiguous U.S. (see extreme points of the United States) and is the country's closest continental location to Africa.
The town, with a p ...
in the United States.
The cottage, built in the
Shingle Style and completed in 1897, was designed by
Willard T. Sears
Willard Thomas Sears (November 5, 1837 – May 21, 1920) was a prominent New England architect of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who worked primarily in the Gothic Revival and Renaissance Revival styles.
In 1861, Sears opened ...
. It was given as a wedding present to Franklin and Eleanor in 1908, from Franklin's mother
Sara Roosevelt
Sara Ann Roosevelt ( Delano; September 21, 1854 – September 7, 1941) was the second wife of James Roosevelt I (from 1880), the mother of President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt, her only child, and subsequently the mother ...
. Here in August 1921, 39-year-old Roosevelt, who would go on to become the 32nd
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
, was stricken by a
severe paralytic illness, believed to be
polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
at the time, leaving him permanently paralyzed from the waist down.
FDR was no longer able to stay at the "beloved island", but he sailed there in 1933 and visited briefly in 1936 and 1939.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...
loved the cool summer weather and visited many times with her children and friends.
Armand Hammer
Armand Hammer (May 21, 1898 – December 10, 1990) was an American business manager and owner, most closely associated with Occidental Petroleum, a company he ran from 1957 until his death. Called "Lenin's chosen capitalist" by the press, ...
acquired the cottage in 1952. After Eleanor's death in 1962, Hammer deeded the property to the governments of the U.S. and Canada. In 1964, they created the International Park.
Description
Roosevelt Campobello International Park has a visitor centre with a gift shop and a small bilingual display on the open
Canada–United States border
The border between Canada and the United States is the longest international border in the world. The terrestrial boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Can ...
.
Administrative history
The park, a US Government Agency and a Canadian Government Corporation, is owned by the governments of Canada and the United States, and is administered by the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission. The Commission was created by international treaty signed by
Governor General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
Georges Vanier
Georges-Philias Vanier (23 April 1888 – 5 March 1967) was a Canadian military officer and diplomat who served as governor general of Canada, the first Quebecer and second Canadian-born person to hold the position.
Vanier was born and ...
,
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian scholar, statesman, diplomat, and politician who served as the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968.
Born in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of ...
, and President
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
on January 22, 1964. The park was established on July 7, 1964. Both countries provide equal financial support to the park. It is an affiliated area of
Parks Canada
Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...
and of the U.S.
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
.
According to the treaty, Canada and US share equally "in the costs of development, operation, and maintenance"; the Park is jointly managed and staffed.
The Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission consists of charter members and alternates: a chairperson and three board members from each country, as well as three Alternate Commissioners from both the US and Canada. The US President appoints the US members of the Commission, while the Canadian Governor in Council appoints the Canadian members. In September 2020, the Canadian government was seeking applicants for two vacant RCIP positions on the Commission. The positions are unpaid, but the Canadian government states that "members may be paid reasonable per diem and travel expenses by the Commission".
Organization Profile - Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission
/ref>
See also
* ''Sunrise at Campobello
''Sunrise at Campobello'' is a 1960 Warner Bros. biographical film telling the story of the struggles of future President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his family when Roosevelt was stricken with paralysis at the age of 39 i ...
'', 1958 play
* ''Sunrise at Campobello
''Sunrise at Campobello'' is a 1960 Warner Bros. biographical film telling the story of the struggles of future President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his family when Roosevelt was stricken with paralysis at the age of 39 i ...
'', 1960 film
* Franklin D. Roosevelt's paralytic illness
Franklin D. Roosevelt, later the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 to 1945, began experiencing symptoms of a paralytic illness in 1921 when he was 39 years old. His main symptoms were fever; symmetric, ascending paralysis; facial par ...
* List of residences of presidents of the United States
Listed below are the private residences of the various presidents of the United States. For a list of official residences, see President of the United States § Residence.
Private homes of the presidents
This is a list of homes where p ...
Gallery
File:Roosevelt-Cottage-Campobello-2002.jpg, The Roosevelt cottage, a wedding gift from Sara Delano Roosevelt
Sara Ann Roosevelt ( Delano; September 21, 1854 – September 7, 1941) was the second wife of James Roosevelt I (from 1880), the mother of President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt, her only child, and subsequently the mother ...
File:Roosevelt-Cottage-Main-Room-2015.jpg, Main room
File:Roosevelt-Cottage-Interior-Campobello-2015.jpg, Interior
File:Roosevelt-Cottage-Dining-Room-Campobello-2002.jpg, Dining room
File:Franklin D. Roosevelt with two other friends in Campobello - NARA - 196949.jpg, Franklin Roosevelt climbing rocks with friends (1902)
File:Franklin D. Roosevelt with three other friends in Campobello - NARA - 196948.jpg, Franklin Roosevelt with friends (1902)
File:ER FDR Camobello 1904 2106a.jpg, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt (1904)
File:FDR-Golf-Campobello-1904.jpg, FDR playing golf (1904)
File:Franklin D. Roosevelt in Campobello - NARA - 196566.jpg, FDR on the ''Half Moon'' (1906)
File:FDR-ER-1910.jpg, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt (1910)
File:Roosevelt-Family-Campobello-1920.jpg, The Roosevelt family (1920)
File:FDR-Sailing-Campobello-June-1933.jpg, FDR sailing to Campobello (1933)
References
* ''The National Parks: Index 2001-2003''. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
.
External links
Roosevelt Campobello International Park
Roosevelt Campobello International Park
- National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
{{Authority control
Monuments and memorials to Franklin D. Roosevelt
Parks in New Brunswick
Peace parks
Geography of Charlotte County, New Brunswick
Protected areas established in 1964
Cummings and Sears buildings
Museums in New Brunswick
Historic house museums in Canada
Buildings and structures in Charlotte County, New Brunswick
Tourist attractions in Charlotte County, New Brunswick
Eleanor Roosevelt
1964 establishments in New Brunswick