01 Apr Roosevelt Warm Springs Cottages
In August 1921, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was vacationing with his family at their home on Campobello Island off the coast of Maine. One morning he just could not get out of bed! He legs wouldn’t hold him. A few days later, on August 25th, this handsome and strong, politically ambitious father of five was diagnosed with poliomyelitis.
The story of FDR’s refusal to be defeated by the paralysis of polio is well known. Early on he was certain that someday he would be able to walk again. In 1924, Roosevelt heard about a health spa in Warm Springs, Georgia that was purported to have healing powers in its warm mineral-rich waters.
Warm Springs, with its Victorian-style hotel and swimming pool, had been a hot weather retreat for wealthy Georgians since the end of the 1800’s. Franklin made the trip and fell in love with the Springs … He was able to “walk” upright in the warm pool and strengthen his legs. In fact two years later, to the horror of his mother and personal advisors, he bought the 1200 acre property for $195,000, a whopping two- thirds of his personal fortune.
The publicity of FDR’s purchase attracted polio victims from all over to come to this world-famous treatment center. The story of Roosevelt’s experiences at Warm Springs has been told in the award-winning film I wrote about last year. It was also here, in the poorest county in Georgia, that the privileged aristocrat saw real poverty, inspiring the New Deal programs early in his 1st presidency.
Today the complex is owned by the State of Georgia. Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation continues the legacy of FDR and serves thousands of individuals with all types of disabilities each year. Their mission is to empower the students to achieve personal independence.
The Woodruff Cottage was built prior to 1909 and was acquired by Georgia’s Coca-Cola family in 1914.
On the property, a number of cottages were built by prominent citizens who vacationed at Warm Springs in earlier years and also by families who came with their polio-stricken family members after FDR’s purchase. The Rehabilitation Center is right in the midst of this historic village but because of limited funding for the state-run center there just hasn’t been enough money left over to adequately restore these cottages.
The history of the homes is fascinating. The Woodruff Cottage was acquired by the Coca-Cola family in 1914. Missy Lehand, Roosevelt’s private secretary, built the Lehand Cottage in 1928. She recuperated here after her stroke in 1941. I could go on and on. The streets are steeped in history.
Tragically, two of the cottages were lost to fire on August 9, 2011, most likely due to a lightning strike. The McCarthy Cottage was one of the homes Roosevelt lived in before he moved to the nearby Little White House in 1932. It was actually the first home that FDR built for himself … his previous homes had all been owned by his family.
The Ann Johnson Heritage Center will be housed in this one-story structure built in 1942 located at the center of the campus.
Last year; Rotary District 6900 announced a Rotary campaign to begin restoring these cottages which are part of a National Historic Landmark District. An important part of the restoration project is the Ann Johnson Heritage Center, a museum where the story of polio will be told along with the story of Rotary International’s quest to finally eliminate this disease worldwide.
Yesterday I attended a Warm Springs Work Day with Rotarians from all over the state who had come together to work on the grounds and cottages, an important first step.
2019 November Update from Steve Stanfield, Past District Governor of Rotary District 6900:
Our current project is to finish the museum at the outdoor pool. We started on it about a year ago and we are within a month or so of completion. The new museum will tell the story of Warm Springs, Polio Treatment, and everyone’s involvement to eradicate Polio.
The State of Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation has finally come up with prioritized plan on renovating some of the cottages. The first to start will be the Head Surgeon’s cottage – it will become an Autism training house. A place for the autistic to learn life skills and to live on their own. When the State will start the project I don’t know but all of the funds donated to date are available to assist.
I will have a newsletter out soon with an update. The article will be in the District 6900 Newsletter which can be found at rotary6900.org. Donors will receive the same information in a letter to their address on file with us.
Pam Sonnet
Posted at 13:12h, 01 NovemberWhat funds have been raised? Visited in Sept 2019 didn’t see any work being done. Too much history to lose. How can I help?
Pat DiGeorge
Posted at 12:25h, 13 NovemberPam, thank you so much for your interest in this important historical project. I am sending you a private message which contains the same information and updates I have added to my blog post.