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We visited Roosevelt’s Little White House in May 2019 while exploring on our way to meet up with some of our fellow Leisure Travel Van owners in Quebec, Canada. The Little White House is off the beaten path out in the boon-docks of rural Western Georgia in small-town U.S.A. We would not have even discovered this historic gem if we weren’t on our way somewhere else. FDR’s Little White House is where President Roosevelt passed away from an aneurysm on April 12, 1945, while sitting at his desk having his portrait painted. Check it out…
Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to the hills of western Georgia for the hot springs, seeking relief from the ravages of a childhood disease. He also brought electricity and the telephone to this area of Georgia and built a nearby hot springs-fed Olympic-size swimming pool for other children and adults stricken by Polio to also seek relief from this horrible disease.
This was a good place to visit, but it was hard to find. We stumbled upon it while on our way to Shiloh, Georgia, to see one of Mary Ann’s many cousins before continuing east on our planned Maritimes Tour. If you are ever in Western Georgia, make sure you stop at FDR’s Little White House.
In 2019, The Little White House was maintained by the state of Georgia, but now it’s a National Historic Landmark. Franklin Delano Roosevelt built the Little White House in 1932 while governor of New York, before being inaugurated as president in 1933. He first came to Warm Springs in 1924, hoping to find a cure for the infantile paralysis (polio) that had struck him in 1921. Swimming in the 88-degree Fahrenheit, buoyant spring waters brought him no miracle cure, but it did bring improvement.
During FDR’s presidency and the Great Depression, he developed many New Deal Programs (such as the Rural Electrification Administration) based upon his experiences in this small town. (Ref. Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites website and information from The Little White House historic site itself.)
The facilities include: The Little White House, Memorial Museum & Film, Historic Pools Museum, Legacy Exhibit, 3 Picnic Areas, Guest Cottage, and Servants Quarters. Things to do and see while you’re there include: The “Unfinished Portrait”, Walk of Flags and Stones, Educational Programs, Tours, Memorial Fountain, Guest Quarters and Servants’ Quarters, scavenger hunts through history, birding, picnicking, and geocaching.
Tours of the Little White House are available on Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 am for $20.00. Call 706-655-5870 for reservations.
While posing for a portrait on April 12, 1945, FDR suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died a short while later. Today, the “Unfinished Portrait” is featured in a museum that showcases many exhibits, including FDR’s 1938 Ford convertible with hand controls, his fireside chats playing over a 1930s radio, his stagecoach, and a theater. Visitors can tour FDR’s home, which has been carefully preserved as much as he left it, the servants’ and guests’ quarters, and the nearby pool complex that first brought the future president to Warm Springs.
On the grounds of The Little White House is a beautiful display of all 50 states’ flags and stones found in each state. Washington, D.C., is also included, making the total 51. Each state has also included an inspirational statement with its display.
The preservation of The Little White House from the time of his death is quite amazing. It even includes the toilet paper in the dispenser in the bathroom. Everything is just as it was on April 12, 1945.
One of FDR’s 1938 Ford convertibles with hand controls is displayed at the museum on the grounds of The Little White House. The museum covers the life and times of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, including America’s struggle through the Great Depression that started with the stock market crash in 1929 and World War II.
Mary Ann and I particularly enjoyed the Flags and Stones Walk, reading the inspirational statements and looking for the states where we grew up. My home state is Ohio, Mary Ann’s home state is New York, we first met in Texas in the military, and we now live in Arizona.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Little White House was a great surprise while we were on the road in Western Georgia. A great place to spend the day. It is educational and inspirational. I highly recommend a visit next time you’re driving through Western Georgia. We will continue our exploration of Georgia with a visit to the Indian Mounds of Ocmulgee and then on to the Confederacy’s infamous prison of war camp during the Civil War. Until next time, safe travels, my friends.
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