FDR and Campobello
Young Franklin Roosevelt’s parents were among those who summered at Campobello’s hotels and who purchased land and built a cottage. With his parents, he spent many enjoyable summers on this small
Canadian
island in the Bay of Fundy. His parents, and later he, his wife Eleanor, and their children were attracted to Campobello Island for the ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. Here they sailed, canoed, golfed, hiked, and picnicked in a beautiful and rugged outdoor environment. Time spent pursuing such activities and exploring the outdoors with local fishermen and neighbor friends influenced the young man who was to become President of the United States.
His experiences on his "beloved island", and what he learned here, played a role in shaping a great leader of the United States and of the world. As President, his attitudes and policies toward Canada and toward international cooperation were undoubtedly influenced by personal relationships and close ties with Canadians developed over a period of many summer vacations on Campobello. His natural resource-based policies no doubt reflected in part his great love of Campobello’s rich natural heritage. And his policies toward
Native Americans were a reflection of his associations with the Passamaquoddy Indians he came to know and respect at Campobello.
FDR and his family spent summer vacations on Campobello Island over a period of fifty-six years. After he became President, FDR returned to his summer home for three brief visits: in 1933, 1936, and 1939. His love of the island and his long associations with its people left a lasting impression.
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