Thursday, September 05, 2013

September 1, 2013 - Part 7

We passed the Welcome Center on the grounds and were intrigued with this massive piece of driftwood mounted to the side of the building.  As improbable as it sounds, it appears to be one single piece of wood - we couldn't find any evidence of it being otherwise.

This vintage photograph of the cottages along the shore shows how the landscape has changed.  When FDR was living, there were no trees to block the view of the ocean from the cottage.  (click on the image to enlarge it)  I'm not sure, but I think FDR's cottage is the one on the far right, which would make the one in the center the cottage belonging to James and Sara, FDR's parents, and the one on the far left a cottage belonging to a neighbor, which is now the site of the famous "Tea with Eleanor" gatherings created for modern-day guests.

This photo montage is mounted over the reception desk of the welcome center, along with FDR's birch bark canoe made by Passamaquoddy Indian Tomah Joseph.  Joseph lived in the Reserve at Pleasant Point, Maine, across the bay from Campobello.  He worked for the Roosevelt family for many years as a hunting and fishing guide and general handyman.  The bottom left-hand corner of the montage features a photo of FDR in this very canoe.

Close-up of the canoe pic.

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