to May 31 - Hyde Park, NY

Travelling from Athens down the Hudson, we hoped that we would get to Norrie Point State Park before this weather system hit us.  We did.  We are the blue dot on the right side of the page.

Norrie Point State Park was a pleasant surprise.  Brand new floating docks and power stands.  We stayed three nights, rented a car from Enterprise in Poughkeepsie and did some touring.  First, was the Vanderbilt mansion.

 Front view of mansion

Interesting layout.  Round center foyer with rooms leading off.

Where the ladies socialize after dinner.

Mrs. Vanderbilt's bedroom with the observation rail around the bed.  The observation rail was for spectators to verify that the child being birthed belonged to the lady of the house.  It was styled after Marie Antoniette's bedroom. 

The rest of the bedroom

 

The Vanderbilts had indoor plumbing installed when the house was constructed.  Here is a view of one of the bathrooms.

 

And the kitchen

 

 

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After the Vanderbilt tour, we drove to Rheinbeek, a cute little town, where we found the Dutch Reformed Church.  And discovered something.  It was puzzling that there was only one Dutch name in the listing of ministers.  Well, it seems that persecuted English folks went to Holland in the 1607 picked up the Reformed religion, and started moving to America about 1620.  That explains why there are no dropjes to be found in the area stores.

Inside the Dutch Reformed Church.  Pews still have name plates and gates.
 

A prominent member of the Church and mother of doers and shakers.

 

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The next day we visited the Franklin Delano Roosevelt mansion.  While the Vanderbilts let their Dutch heritage slide, Roosevelt did not forget.  Inside the house was a beautiful grandfather clock from Gouda. (Could not get a good photo)

 

Outside view of FDR's home.  It was actually his mother, Sarah's, home and she lived there too. FDR was an only child.  His wife, Eleanor ended up building her own retreat a few miles away. No kidding,  What was Sarah thinking.  No...what was FDR thinking?

 

FDR's bedroom

Furnishings in the FDR home was simple compared with the Vanderbilts.

 

Rusty hanging out with FDR and Eleanor.

 

Stable house

 

Burial plot - FDR and Eleanor

 

That evening, we went to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and dined at American Bounty.  Below is how the rolls were presented. While individual menu items were good, the overall meal was not up to expectations.  So we will have to return and try one of the other restaurants next time.

 

This is what we found when we returned that evening and looked at the radar. The weather had not quite hit yet but it looked like we were in for a doozy.  When it was all said and done, the storm passed north of us.  On May 31st we resumed our trip down the Hudson.