Roosevelt House

Courtesy of Hunter College

Located on 47-49 East 65 Street in New York City, the Roosevelt House was once home to one of the greatest American presidents, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The house was purchased for Franklin and his wife, Eleanor, by Franklin's mother, Sara. Although from the outside it looks like one house, in reality it was two separate homes, one for Franklin and Eleanor and the other for Sara. The house served as the Roosevelt's primary residence in New York City and this was were the president recovered after contracting polio. Shortly after the death of Sara Delano Roosevelt the house was put on sale and was ultimately purchased by Hunter College and named the Sara Delano Roosevelt Interfaith Memorial House, in honor of the president's deceased mother who had been a great supporter of interfaith tolerance and understanding. The house served as a gathering place and wedding hall for many Hunter students and the first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, would often visit. Hunter would establish very close relations with the Roosevelts and in fact Eleanor would speak at Hunter several times and establish a great friendship with the president of Hunter College, Dr. George Schuster. The Roosevelt House was forced to close in 1992 due to the house having fallen into disrepair. It has only reopened last summer and is now home to Hunter College's Public Policy Institute. At the same time, the house remains a historic monument and tours are being given which discuss Roosevelt life in the house.


For more information on the Hunter College Public Policy Institute visit:

http://www.roosevelthouse.hunter.cuny.edu/