It was my first tour of a Presidential home. They also took me to Roosevelt's grave. I grew up on Long Island, in Suffolk County, and I was probably pretty young because Oyster Bay seemed exotic.
I have been to Springwood, FDR'S home twice, never a line or restriction. Once was part of a seminar put on by Cornell on the Four Freedoms speech. Several ex-Congressmen spoke, including a pre-orange pedophile worshipping example of what that party once was.
I also took a detour on a business trip to tour Lincoln's home. I was very moved by Lincoln's house. I actually think I wept during the tour.
I recommend FDR's house and museum tour highly. I first went for a museum display on his decision to rin for a fourth term when he, and everyone close to him knew he was dying. (Some of his medical records were on display.) I commented on Nigel Hamilton's account of why he ran, giving his last to assure peace that would last, over in the history forum.
Last week there was an estate sale in Princeton in Grover Cleveland's home which had just been sold to private owners. My wife and I poked our heads in, not much to see, just a few of Cleveland's (or the last owner's) books marked not for sale. Woodrow Wilson's house is also for sale a few blocks away. One can tour it on line at the real estate company's website, although there's not much left of his times in that house. It's now a highly modernized McMansion for the one or two percent types.
I'm not a fan of either Cleveland nor of Wilson. I regard the latter as the worst Democratic President of the 20th century.
A bucket list desire, not likely to be fulfilled, is to tour Harry Truman's home. I just named my new kitten Harry. (My wife vetoed naming the cat Franklin.) I have always wanted to understand how Roosevelt came to choose Truman as VP. I dream of going to their Presidential libraries to research the topic, which won't happen. I regard it as an inspired choice although almost no one knew at the time. It strikes me as mysterious. Truman was a great man I think. Choosing him was Roosevelt's last great act in a lifetime of great acts.
I'm not sure that Harry the cat will be a great cat though. Harry the cat is kind of wild.
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