OK today was better - the sun was hidden by clouds but it was daylight and I much prefer to drive in the daylight. Got out of NY alive. Drove right past the World's Fair site (I remember being there in 1964. Saw the old Shea Stadium and the hugh Citi Park that the Mets play in. Our goal was to drive up the Hudson River to Poughkeepsie so Barbara could do some genealogy at the Dutchess Co. Genealogical Society. She wanted to find out about the parents of her ancestor Festus Cronk. We weren't successful but found out that he was probably a descendant of the original Dutch Cronkites or however they spelled in in Dutch.
From there we did some sightseeing. Our first stop was the Vanderbuilt mansion on the bluffs above the Hudson River in Hyde park. Built right around the turn of the 20th century. When Mr. Vanderbuilt died in the 1930's tey tried to sell it and couldn't even get $300,000 for so they gave it to the government for a dollar! I didn't even get to bid. Darn.
Lastly we went to the FDR Presidential Library. It was the first presidental library and you can tell as it is so modest in comparison to the later ones. So far we have see the Kennedy, Hoover, FDR, Nixon and Regan libraries/museums. It was very interesting. We so dozens of Orthodox Jewish families - young families - everyone wearing black, heavy stocking, men in locks, ladies in hats. Thought is was somewhat strange until I saw the Jewish tributes to Roosevelt in the museum.
All and all a fun day with only light showers and near 100% humidity. Pictures after dinner. More to come.
I don't know if it was just a coincidence that so many Jewish people were here at the FDR museum but I am sure one of the displays they wanted to see is pictured here. It is a copy of the Torah that was given to Roosevelt for his efforts in ending WWII - this Torah had to be altered so it could be given to a non-believer so the took out a small portion of it so it was considered imperfect.
