The Stone Cottage at Val-Kill

The Stone Cottage at Val-Kill, completed in 1926.

Quick Facts

Location:

Hyde Park, NY

Significance:

Home of Eleanor Roosevelt

Designation:

National Historic Site

The stone cottage was the first structure built at Val-Kill. Architect Henry Toombs of Georgia designed the cottage, with substantial input from Franklin Roosevelt, who insisted on Dutch vernacular traditions of the Hudson Valley. Franklin offered to serve as general contractor, but the entire building was financed by Eleanor and her friends Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook. Construction began in 1925 and it was completed in early 1926. This one-and-a-half story cottage is clad in fieldstone gathered from the stone walls crisscrossing the estate. The oak floor boards were harvested from local trees. Nancy took on the work of interior finishes—walls were finished with “Craytex,” a tinted liquid plaster rather than paint. When complete, the cottage included a large, two-story living room, bedroom, bathroom, shop room, and kitchen on the first floor, and a second bedroom and bathroom on the second floor.

The cottage was originally intended to serve as the residence and a small furniture workshop. As plans for Val-Kill Industries developed into a much larger operation, construction for a separate factory were underway before the stone cottage was complete. Nancy spent more time at the cottage from where she managed the Val-Kill Industries. Marion was in New York City for much of her week serving as Principal of the Todhunter School (also jointly owned by Eleanor, Marion, and Nancy). Eleanor’s time was divided between Hyde Park, Albany, Washington, or New York City, as dictated by Franklin’s political career and the needs of her family.

Alterations to the original building occurred after 1936, when Val-Kill Industries closed and Eleanor began conversion of the factory into a cottage for her independent use. Additions and changes made to the stone cottage at this time, from 1936 to 1937, included enlargement of the second floor bedroom, an additional bedroom and bathroom on the first floor, and an enclosed terrace with pergola.

Shortly following Franklin’s death in 1945, Marion and Nancy sold their interest in the property to Eleanor and moved to Connecticut. From that time, the stone cottage served as Eleanor’s guest house until her son John Roosevelt and his family moved to Val-Kill in the 1950s. Subsequent alterations were made on the second floor while John occupied the cottage, adding the dormer window on the second floor to create an additional small bedroom, and a partition dividing the large bedroom into two rooms.

Today, the Stone Cottage is open to the public with exhibits illustrating the history of Val-Kill, the use of the property by Franklin and Eleanor, and the early political work of women who helped shape the New Deal during FDR's presidency.