The one thing people notice about the Dutchess
County town of Hyde Park, New York, is that many of the buildings look the
same. The post office, the library, three of the schools: they all share
the same stone architecture. Public buildings in neighboring towns also
look that way. Coincidence?
The reason
that many of the buildings look the same is simple: Franklin D. Roosevelt
wanted the buildings in his hometown to reflect the area's rich Dutch
heritage; playing the role of architect and historian, President Roosevelt
single-handedly ensured the continuation of that heritage in Dutchess
County.