A Tale of Two Towns
Both towns
pre-date the American Revolutionary War. Rhinebeck is the home of several
signer's of the U.S. Constitution including Robert Livingston.
The Wilderstein mansion
commands captivating views of the Hudson. It's not just a place to take a
tour of how the other half lived a century ago but a hiking venture that is
pleasurable any season of the year. Go ahead, bring a picnic basket and a
blanket. Snooze on the lawn facing the Hudson River. The gentle breezes of pine
and local flora will relax you. The train track below the hill will echo
whistles of a Metro North train whizzing by from time to time.
If you close
your eyes you can almost envision a steam engine barreling down the tracks,
filled with passengers and parasols.
Further south of
Rhinebeck lies Hyde Park is the hometown of Franklin
Delano Roosevelt. He not only was raised in the same house but later
shared the home with his wife Eleanor. Both husband and wife are, respectively,
buried in the rose garden on the property.
There are more
recent historical features of the area, including a 60 year old drive-in opened
on the weekends for anyone desiring to sit under the night sky across from the
FDR estate and watch cinema via your car radio from your SUV.
One of 14 Vanderbilt homes
built in America neighbors the FDR property. Several of these locations
are open to visitor's for touring during the week. A few of the properties
are on National Park Service land, including the Hyde Park Drive In.
Enjoy!
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