The Three Graces of Val-Kill

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The Three Graces of Val-Kill Page 23

by Emily Herring Wilson


  Val-Kill Shop, Hyde Park, 114–16; Tommy Thompson’s apartment in, 142, 146, 150; ER’s renovation of, 142–43, 153, 162–63, 169–70, 177–78; and ER’s closing of Val-Kill Industries, 146; ER’s last visit to, 174; and ER’s funeral, 175

  Val-Kill Stone Cottage, Hyde Park: FDR’s suggestion to build, 1–2, 35, 47; ER’s independence at, 2, 60, 65, 66–67, 140, 146; as female-centered household, 2, 76; natural setting of, 11–12, 39, 40, 52, 53, 68, 69–71, 196n2; neighbors of, 12; ER’s living at with MD and NC, 12, 31–32, 53–54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61–67, 68, 70, 72, 74, 86, 106, 112, 113, 117, 125, 131, 140, 142, 157–58, 177, 178; Springwood compared to, 12, 61, 68, 196n2; decision to build, 33–35, 39, 46, 47–48; and picnics, 33–35, 53, 63, 101, 107, 132–34, 142, 143, 147, 151, 163, 176; FDR’s supervision of construction, 36, 46, 48, 50–51, 66, 194n1; and informal eating out-of-doors, 42; monogrammed linens for, 43, 54, 142; furnishings for, 44, 45, 51–52, 61–62, 95, 116, 117, 118; swimming pool of, 46, 53, 61, 65, 70, 85, 94, 107, 108, 143–44, 147; ER, MD, and NC joint ownership of, 46, 142, 153–54, 157–58, 162; and FDR’s lifetime lease to eight acres, 47; preliminary plan for, 48–49; house account of ER, MD, and NC, 50, 51, 114, 151; NC’s workshop at, 51, 52; landscaping of, 51, 70–71, 143–44; celebration of near-completion of, 53; engraved stationery for, 53–54, 61; FDR’s gifts of accessories and picnic implements for, 54; annual Christmas party at, 56, 82; early activities of, 56, 195n7; photographs of interior, 61; ER’s desk in, 61, 64–65, 178; main room of, 61–63, 95, 117; downstairs guest room of, 63–64, 141; as ER’s sanctuary, 67, 68–71, 141, 142; early pencil drawing of, 92; photograph, 1920s to 1930s, 92; MD on steps near, 99; Todhunter School students at pond, 99; John Roosevelt and family living in, 111, 167; Caroline O’Day’s description of, 112–13; and Washington, D.C., visitors, 132–33; and presidential entertaining, 132–34, 142–44, 150, 163, 176; division of joint ownership, 142, 153–54, 162–63, 164; ER moving out of, 142–43; ER installing new furnace in, 164–65; effects of World War II on, 166; as ER’s home, 193–94n1

  Val-Kill Top Cottage, Hyde Park: for FDR, 46, 66, 143; Elliott Roosevelt moving to, 166–67

  Vanderbilt, Mrs. Frederick, 5, 116

  Vanderbilt family, 6, 12, 69

  Vanderlip, Narcissa, 79

  Van Rensselaer, Martha, 73–76

  Vassar, Matthew, 14

  Vassar College, 14, 72–73, 83, 148–49

  Wappinger Indians, 5

  Ward, Geoffrey C., 200n1

  Ware, Susan, 196–97n9

  Warm Springs, Georgia: Lucy Mercer as visitor to FDR in, 18, 166; FDR’s cottages at, 46, 59, 116; ER’s visits to, 56, 59; FDR’s purchase of old inn, 58; FDR’s focus on polio patients, 58–59; FDR’s life at, 59–60; Val-Kill Industries furniture for, 116–17; Little White House at, 117; FDR’s recuperating from Yalta at, 166

  Washington Monument, 131

  Wellesley College, 23, 78, 121

  White House: ER in, 72, 75, 86, 103–4, 117, 125, 127, 129, 142, 152; and Val-Kill Industries furniture, 117, 130; ER’s press conferences for women, 120, 131; ER’s arrangement of tours for Todhunter faculty and students, 123, 132, 165; ER’s guests at, 126, 127, 128, 129, 131, 134–35, 164; FDR’s advantages in, 127–28; FDR’s second-floor office, 128; and Roosevelt children, 128, 131; and Roosevelt grandchildren, 128–29, 131; ER’s thoughts on living in, 129–30; and ER’s escape to Greenwich Village apartment, 141; Victory Garden of, 164; ER moving from, following FDR’s death, 168

  White House Conference on Child Health and Protection, 74

  White House Conference on Children, 165

  Wilhelmina (queen of Netherlands), 143

  Wilson, Woodrow, 23, 82

  Wiltwyck School, 107

  Women: in Democratic politics in New York, 2, 15–17, 18, 21, 22, 27, 28; in progressive campaigns of 1920s, 2, 17, 20, 72, 73; symbols of affection between, 20; ER as public advocate for, 67; ER on role of women in hard times, 103–4

  Women’s Democratic News, 112

  World War I, 9, 17, 23

  World War II, 143, 163–66, 168

  Wylie, Laura Johnson, 72–73

 

 

 


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