--- title: "FDR’s home away from home was the ‘Little White House’ in Georgia" description: "Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the his \"Little White House\" in Georgia seeking relief from polio. He got it, along with some New Deal ideas." date: "2021-11-28" modified: "2023-01-13" authors: - name: "Bethaney Phillips" job_title: "Contributor, Veteran Spouse" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/bethaneyphillips/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/fdr-little-white-house/" categories: - "History" tags: - "Presidents" --- # FDR’s home away from home was the ‘Little White House’ in Georgia ![FDR World War II Chucrchill]() *(FDR Presidential Library and Museum)* Before taking office as president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt had a White House of his own: a smaller, less notable one located in Warm Springs, Georgia. Now a museum of all things FDR, the late president built the house in 1932. He first came to this area of West-Central Georgia in 1924, seeking treatment for his polio in the natural, buoyant waters. It was a combination of warm mineral water—sitting at a year-round temperature of 88 degrees—and physical exercise that helped ease his symptoms. During his presidency, FDR used the "Little White House" as a vacation retreat, where he's said to have visited 16 times, often for weeks at a time. In fact, it's said that FDR drew many of his ideas for the New Deal, specifically the Rural Electrification Administration, from his small-town visits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a\_W27dBNKn4 ### Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation In 1927, FDR purchased the land that hosted its popular warm waters. Formerly known as Bullochville, the area had become a tourist destination for residents of Savannah and Atlanta, including those with symptoms of yellow fever. Through his ownership, he rebuilt the area's "ramshackle" hotel that housed pools of natural mineral waters, and began bringing in polio survivors to bask in these healing waters. FDR became so interested in hydrotherapy that he eventually founded the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation. It was funded by the Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, known today as the March of Dimes. Their rehab efforts were available for a wide variety of ailments, including post-polio syndrome, amputation, spinal cord injuries, brain damage, and stroke. The location transferred ownership to [Augusta University Health]() in 2014, which still serves patients today. ![little white house]() *Little White House. (Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites)* ### A Tourist Destination The area is preserved as the Warm Springs Historic District, where buildings have been maintained to their looks from the Roosevelt era, with the exception of a cottage that burned down in 2001 due to a suspected lightning strike. Visitors can head to the Little White House for a trip back in time; the space is said to be preserved as it was the day Roosevelt died. (Yes, you can even see the very room where he passed.) Other highlights include his custom Ford convertible and the Unfinished Portrait, a painting of FDR that was in progress when he suffered a stroke. Take a dip in the warm waters by hand on your tour, or plan ahead for a swim; the springs are open to public swimming once a year on Labor Day weekend. ### Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty ##### • [The college football team who became first responders at Pearl Harbor]() ##### • [Nazi sabotage teams were captured infiltrating the US during World War II]() ##### • [These are the 5 presidential traditions around the Army-Navy Game]() ## Author Bethaney Phillips has contributed to We Are the Mighty and MilSpouseFest since 2015, covering history and military family topics. She also served as the Interim Content and Digital Manager at MilSpouseFest in 2021. Now a veteran spouse, she spent six years in an active duty family and served as an SFRG leader. With a bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing, she has more than 15 years of experience in digital and print writing, focusing on researched pieces and human interest stories. She is also a regular contributor to Business Insider, covering family and parenting topics. Her work has been included on Business Insider, Yahoo, Military.com, and Manhattan Magazine. While continuing to freelance, she works as the founding editor of the Clay County Regional, a print and digital newspaper delivered to more than 5,500 recipients. She also serves as the Digital Director/News Director for Taylor Communications out of north-central Kansas. Bethaney spends her free time chasing her two elementary-aged boys, raising chickens, and reading fiction. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [WWW]()