Celebrating Presidents Day in New York State

Celebrating Presidents Day in New York State could really take you off in lots of different directions. Still when you remember that in the Empire State one can find the birthplace and in some cases extended attractions connected to 4 American presidents, you may decide that a good approach to celebrating Presidents Day in New York State might be to visit the birth places of Martin VanBuren, Millard Fillmore, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. You may find some real excitement and certainly some low key and enjoyable education in locating and visiting the birth places of these former American leaders.

Martin Van Buren , Kinderhook, NY. Certainly one of the lesser known presidents, Martin Van Buren was born in New York , served the state in a variety of elective offices and then won a position as Vice President and then served from 1837-1841 as the president of the United States. Van Buren was raised on his fathers New York farm and lived the life typical to much of rural America in its earliest years as a nation.

Celebrating Presidents Day by including a trip to the Martin Van Buren National Historical Site can help to relocate you briefly back to that time and place in American history. The mansion "Lindenwald" in Kinderhook Village was purchased by Van Buren after had completed his term as president. There he lived for the next 20 years until his death. The mansion was considered the perfect spot to establish the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Unfortunately the main house and the hour and half tour that goes with it are shut down for the winter months. For future reference the full park experience is open from May to October. What is available, should the weather allow, is the opportunity to walk the grounds of the 22 acre estate and realize that you are walking presidential turf. The grounds are open year round daily until dusk.

In the Village of Kinderhook on Hudson St. you can also find the marker at the spot where Martin Van Buren's father worked a tavern and where Martin Van Buren was born. The burial place of Van Buren is also in Kinderhook at the Kinderhook Reformed Cemetery. Also in Kinderhook and of interest to children is the Ichabod Crane School House. Again it is not open during the winter season but kids will nonetheless enjoy seeing the school from the exterior.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Hyde Park, NY Somewhat south of Kinderhook, but still an area marked by its Dutch past is the town of Hyde Park and the home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. After Monticello and Mount Vernon, Hyde Park is perhaps one of the top presidential homes and museums visited by Americans each year and a great place to for celebrating Presidents Day in New York .

If you choose to visit this site plan on spending some time. This is the home of a 20th century president who was elected to four terms of office and who served during a World War and the Great Depression. There is an incredible amount of memorabilia here , so much so that tickets are valid for two days for those who want to make a weekend adventure out of their visit. Visiting FDR's home means a that you will be welcomed to see a movie that will provide you with a historical look at Roosevelt, visit the actual home where he was born and raised and lived at intervening times in his adult life, view the many artifacts and historical pieces shown in the Roosevelt Museum and Library, view the presidential cemetery where FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt are buried all for one ticket price of $14 for adults. But this is a great deal for families with middle school kids who are old enough to understand a lot of what they see and young enough to get in without a ticket. Children 15 and younger are admitted free.

The home, museum and grounds are opened throughout the year, 7 days a week from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. The home is shown only by tour and the last tour each day begins at 4 p.m. This is a great place to go to remember the history of our nation during times of great trial and a great place to share a little history with your kids while celebrating Presidents Day in New York.

Millard Fillmore , Summerhill, NY More presidents than Abe Lincoln can claim to have been born in a log cabin. Millard Fillmore who was born in what is now Summerhill in Cayuga County New York can lay hold to that same rural and simple birth. There is a marker where the original log cabin once stood. This New York County lies in the Finger Lakes area of New York state renowned for its beauty.

The actual residence that Millard Fillmore later called home and was the only other place he lived besides the White House has actually been moved twice and now is firmly placed in East Aurora, New York. While it is noted and marked as a National Historic Site,the home is not open to the public as it is in private hands. You really don't need to make a special trip here for what you can see but if you can fit it in as a side venture, it still remains a reminder of presidential history in the state of New York

Theodore Roosevelt, Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, NY Equally interesting to many with a historical curiosity and a great place for celebrating presidents day is the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site at Oyster Bay , NY. This site is the adult home of Theodore Roosevelt which he dearly loved. The home also served as the "summer white house" where the Roosevelts worked,played and conducted affairs of state hosting a variety of political dignitaries.

Buildings and tours are not in season on Presidents Day but according to the weather you can enjoy the grounds and take advantage of the nature trail and beach paths knowing that you are walking the same paths as were used by Teddy Roosevelt, his wife and his six children along with countless friends and relatives. While it is understandable that in the winter the buildings are not open to the public , it can be very enjoyable to tour the Oyster Bay area and get a feeling for the place without having to deal with the summer crowds . Teddy Roosevelt was a man who like to rough it and so what better way could there be for celebrating Presidents Day in New York than by visiting the Home of Teddy Roosevelt at Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, NY