President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Hyde Park was his family’s home and peaceful retreat on the Hudson River north of New York City. It is now a national historic site administered by the National Park Service. 
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum’s memorial room contains pictures of the 2,977 victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 
Structural iron beams salvaged from the rubble of the Twin Towers are on display at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. 
One World Trade Center, or Freedom Tower, is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex. 
The view of New York from the 101st floor observatory of the new One World Trade Center. 
President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, are depicted in busts at their Hyde Park estate. 
The Vanderbilt Mansion, another emblem of America’s Gilded Age, is not far from Hyde Park.
It was time for a New York Fix. The summer weather usually is nice in New York, and we were ready to see several good shows on Broadway. And the two shows we saw — My Fair Lady and Hamilton — didn’t disappoint.
But it was the extracurricular activity which made the trip particularly exciting.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan is a necessary stop. Built mainly underground, it displays the devastation of 9/11 and the painful memories of the loss of 2,977 victims. That number includes those killed in Washington, D.C., and Somerset County in Pennsylvania, but not the 19 terrorists who hijacked four airliners that morning.
The museum’s memorial room contains pictures of all who died on that dreadful day. The museum also contains many pictures of the destruction of the World Trade Center — Towers 1 and 2 — and videos of the horror of firefighters trying to save those trapped inside.
Even the mangled beams from the iconic Twin Towers were on display.
And one wall of the museum was devoted to a single line from the Roman poet, Virgil: “No day will erase you from the memory of time.”
On a happier note, the new One World Trade Center, the replacement for the Twin Towers, is located only 500 feet away and is emblematic of both the future and the resourcefulness of America. Visitors in our group enjoyed the elevator ride to the 101st floor and the panoramic views of New York City. The buildings comprise 12 million square feet and 200 elevators. More than 50,000 people work there each weekday.
Since we had visited many of the New York museums on previous trips, it was time for a different experience. Why not a bike ride in Central Park? Our hotel, the New York Athletic Club, was located directly south of the park so it was easy making accommodations.
The park’s bike trail is approximately six miles with some difficult up slopes, but it is a sure way to experience the everyday life in this vibrant city. And a stop at Tavern On The Green for lunch was a welcome respite.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip was our Sunday excursion to Hyde Park, the home of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the Hudson River about two hours north of the city. Hyde Park was a retreat for Roosevelt from the rigors of Washington and was the family home for many generations.
Purchased in 1867, the homestead is about 110 acres and currently houses the first presidential library, as well as the 34-room family mansion. What is particularly interesting is how Roosevelt got around, considering his disability related to polio that, for a time, left him paralyzed from the chest down. Eventually, he would recover partially but he never regained the use of his legs.
At Hyde Park, Roosevelt had a dumb waiter that allowed him to hoist himself to the second floor, where he slept. On display were his very heavy “iron legs,” weighing 10 pounds each, which would allow him to function reasonably well. He could stand but, on those occasions, he would need additional support.
The big question as you viewed the various rooms and support features is how Roosevelt ever performed all the duties of the presidency through four terms, and so well, with such a handicap.
Roosevelt died at 63 while vacationing and undergoing rehabilitation in Georgia. His funeral train would take him to Washington, and then on to Hyde Park, where he is buried.
We would make one final stop at the nearby Vanderbilt Mansion from America’s famed Gilded Age before returning to New York City.
Besides enjoying our Broadway plays, the trip provided several memorable history lessons that we won’t forget.
— Frank McGinity is a Montecito resident. The opinions expressed are his own.