One of least known but most beautiful of the presidential memorials in Washington DC belongs to the man who held the most terms in office and led our nation through some of its most difficult eras. One room is given to each of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s four terms in office. They are highlighted by refreshing fountains, the walls are inscribed with his words, and the effect is a beautiful tribute to a beloved President. Whether for individual travel or organized group tours, this memorial is a must.
Roosevelt endeared himself to the American public through his weekly fireside chats. They responded to his humble, gentle leading. This humility carried past the grave. From his own words, we know that Roosevelt would be troubled by the magnificence of his memorial. For the country he graciously led through a Great Depression and World War II, no memorial is quite large enough.
Your travel guide will point out several parts to this memorial. A seated Roosevelt statue with a robe covering his wheel chair greets you at the opening. The memorial rooms hold three other representations of the beloved President, a statue representation of a 1930s breadline, and Roosevelt’s declared Four Freedoms, which he believed should be true for all people, namely: Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
This pretty memorial is sure to be a favorite and rests along the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, a particularly breathtaking portion of DC during the Cherry Blossom festival in the spring. Like the others, this memorial is beautifully lit at night as part of the Illuminations Tour. Educational tours can learn a lot from the memorial and from the man it honors. Visitors of every kind can relate to the seasons of war and of economic crisis through which Roosevelt led a nation.