Roosevelt, Eleanor, National Historic Site
Also known as: Val-Kill
Why it's listed
Val-Kill is a 180-acre property in Hyde Park, New York, that served as Eleanor Roosevelt's principal home from 1936-37 until her death in 1962. The grounds hold fields, woods, wetlands, a pond on the Fall Kill and five major buildings. The two most important are a fieldstone cottage of 1925-26, designed by Henry Toombs of McKim, Mead and White with help from Franklin Roosevelt, and a former furniture factory built in 1926 for Val-Kill Industries. After the enterprise closed in 1936, Eleanor converted the factory into living quarters. Other features include a playhouse, a dollhouse, a stable-garage, swimming pool sites, a tennis court and a stone barbecue. Val-Kill was her refuge and a place to entertain political associates, students and foreign dignitaries, including Nikita Khrushchev and Marshal Tito. The property is recognized for its close association with her private life and humanitarian leadership between 1924 and 1962.
Significance in brief: Val-Kill was more than any other residence the home of Eleanor Roosevelt, who spent time there from 1924 until her death in 1962. It was where she developed her approach to social and political issues, founded the Val-Kill Industries rural enterprise, and received world leaders. The factory and stone cottage are the two main buildings of primary significance.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80000357, listed March 20, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Violet Ave., Hyde Park |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | March 20, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000357 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1924-1962 |
| Architect / builder | Henry Toombs |
| Architectural style | Stone cottage designed in the manner of a traditional Hudson River Dutch farmhouse |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good; the factory building has been converted into four apartments with many historic interior finishes remaining; the tennis courts are deteriorated. Public acquisition was in progress at the time. |
| Acreage | 180 |
| Coordinates | 41.75912, -73.89777 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80000357.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q890118
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.