Val-Kill FAQs

How many rooms are in the cottage?

Val-Kill Cottage is a rambling structure with rooms of all sizes tucked into out of the way places. There are about a total of 34 rooms throughout the cottage. There are 18 rooms on the first floor, and 16 rooms on the second floor. There are even a few room in the attic, (but we didn't count those). The house has 8 bathrooms, 4 kitchens, 17 closets, and 4 porches.

What are the overall dimensions of the cottage?

Overall, the footprint of the cottage measures 120 feet x 103 feet.

When was the cottage built?

The oldest part of the house was completed in 1926 as the factory building for Val-Kill Industries. It was enlarged several times in 1928, 1929, 1932 as the business grew. The last rennovation occurred in 1937 when Mrs. Roosevelt converted the factory buildings into a house. The 1937 configuration is what you see it today.

How many fireplaces are in the cottage?

There are just four fireplaces throughout the house.

Are the furnishings in the cottage original?

Not all of them. After Mrs. Roosevelt died, the contents of the cottage were sold at public auction in 1964. When the National Park Service acquire the property in the 1980s, we began searching for and acquiring as many original furnishings as we could locate. To prepare the cottage for public opening, many replacement furnishings were obtained to show the rooms as Mrs. Roosevelt had furnished them. Today, approximately 40 percent of the furnishings are original, but the work goes continues. When we locate original furnishings, we make every effort to return them to Val-Kill.

What happened to the cottage after Eleanor Roosevelt died?

After Mrs. Roosevelt died, the cottage was divided into four apartments, but remained in the family. In 1970, it was sold to new owners who submitted a proposal to the town of Hyde Park to build condominiums on the site. That proposal was rejected. A second proposal was submitted to rezone the property and build a nursing home. That application was also denied. In 1977, Congress established Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site. The enabling legislation authorized an appropriation of $575,000 for acquisition of land and development. The U.S. government purchased the property for $300,000, and restoration soon followed.