For many Roosevelt Island visitors, cherry blossoms are the draw. But FDR Four Freedoms State Park causes them to linger amid the thoughtfully sculpted serenity.
by David Stone
for The Roosevelt Island Daily News
FDR Four Freedoms, Stay for the Park
No question, the cherry blossoms, springtime’s natural jewels, dazzle, but the tree-lined meadows plus the message of freedom dig deeper.
FDR Four Freedoms State Park commemorates President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech, given in 1941. The park is located on the southern tip of Roosevelt Island, offering stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the East River.
There are also seasonal special exhibits on the grounds and a bust of FDR. The park is a great place to learn about American history and enjoy the outdoors.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States. He was sworn into office in 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression.
FDR’s New Deal network of programs and agencies helped to lift the country out of the Depression and get Americans back to work. He also led the country through World War II, helping to defeat Nazi Germany. After his death in 1945, FDR’s Four Freedoms speech was remembered as one of his most enduring legacies.
In the springtime serenity of the park
But for some, it’s the quieter moments along sculpted planes breaking modern patterns.
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What the Promenade Remembers
The light on the East River in the early morning is different from the light anywhere else on the Island. It comes in low and sideways, catching the water in long, uneven flashes. On certain days it makes the promenade feel less like a walkway and more like a corridor someone once meant to finish but never quite did. When I was younger I found the suggestion to stop and look at it faintly ridiculous.
