House FAQs

How many rooms are in the house?

There are 49 rooms in President Roosevelt's house. There are 11 rooms on the first floor, 29 rooms on the second floor, and 9 rooms on the third floor. The house has 8 bathrooms.

What are the overall dimensions of the house?

Overall, the house measures approximately 143 feet x 81 feet.

When was the house built?

The oldest part of the house was built around 1793 and enlarged at various times in its history. The last rennovation, carried out by FDR and his mother Sara, occurred in 1915-1916 and is preserved as you see it today.

How many fireplaces are in the house?

There are twelve fireplaces throughout the house.

Are the furnishings in the house original?

Yes. Following FDR's wishes, the Roosevelt family bequeathed the house with its original furnishings to the National Park Service in 1946.

How many books are in the library?

There are approximately 3,000 volumes on exhibit in the family library at Springwood. Many more books owned by FDR are also in the collections of the Presidential Library and Museum.

Why did Franklin and Eleanor have separate bedrooms?

Separate bedrooms for husbands and wives in families of affluence was a common practice in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, originally adopted as a health precaution to prevent the spread of germs.

How many servants worked in the house?

The total number is not entirely clear, but according to the 1890 federal census, the FDR's parents employed six household servants--a cook, a laundress, a kitchen maid, two parlor or chamber maids, and a butler. That number expanded in later years, when FDR and Eleanor had children of their own, to include nurses. The house, as it is today, has a total of ten servant bedrooms.

What happened to the house after FDR died?

Although FDR arranged for the house and property to eventually become part of the National Park Service, Eleanor and the children were to retain ownership until their deaths. However, recognzing the public interest in President Roosevelt and his legacy, the family transferred the house to the United States government soon after his sudden death in 1945. The National Park Service officially took ownership of the property on November 1, 1945 at 7 a.m. The park opened to the public on April 12, 1946.