Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada.
July 23, 2024.
Franklin and Eleanor’s summer home and surrounding area is now the only international park jointly administered, staffed, and funded by two countries (the USA and Canada).
Campobello Island used to be a haven for wealthy Boston and NYC families, and FDR’s parents bought a home here and gifted it to the newly married FDR and Eleanor. One can now tour the home, have “Eleanor’s Tea” in the nearby Wells-Shober cottage, and dine at the Prince Cafe. There are also a handful of trails to explore.
The tea hour is free in the mornings and tickets are first-come, first-served. The program was full on a rainy Tuesday morning, so get there right when the visitor center opens at 10am Atlantic Time to get your ticket. The program is extremely informative; as you sit and drink tea and eat homemade cookies (made there at the cottage), you listen as two guides tell you all about Eleanor Roosevelt. They cover almost every year of her life, from birth to death, and what an amazing life it was!
Eleanor redefined the role of First Lady and was a widely-traveled social justice advocate who, among countless other achievements, had a lead role in writing the internationally supported Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A seemingly tireless woman, she often blew off her Secret Service agents so she could move faster and travel more widely. She carried a pistol in her purse to help her feel safe without the agents (though many speculate she never carried bullets). She liked to do things herself and abhorred the spotlight, and her hands-on dedication earned her the nickname “Everywhere Eleanor.”
After tea, I had lunch at the Prince Cafe and then checked out some of the area’s trails. I did not tour the actual summer cottage since I felt I had just learned a ton about Eleanor and her husband at the Tea.
I only did a few short trails since I was running out of time (it was also very foggy and humid). The island is beautiful with a lovely coastline, and one could easily spend a full day here just hiking.
