...more saga

Immediately after the church services we left for Warm Springs, Georgia..
only about 70 miles..and was a pleasant and sunny ride. The road was scenic and shortly we arrived at Pine Mountain which is just adjacent to Warm Springs.. It was here high on the mountain that FDR first looked down on Warm Springs and selected the location to build his cottage...pretty view, of course. We arrived at the FDR Memorial which is the site where FDR started his Polio Foundation and Rehab center..It is still functioning, however the "war springs" now need to be supplemented with additional fresh water since the springs have slowly dried!
It was here that FDR unfortunately suffered his cerebral hemorrhage and succumbed, while his portrait was being painted...We saw the original portrait hanging in a prominent location...and another which was finished subsequently. His first visit was in 1924, having been stricken with Poliomyelitis in 1921..and was still undergoing therapy when he was stricken..He felt that the warm water which appeared to make him so buoyant that he was able to stand unassisted in only chest high water and thought it might prove to be helpful to others who suffered from somewhat similar conditions. He at first made several visits staying at the old decaying hotel, but shortly afterward built his own small cottage..and inititiated the Warm Springs Foundation.

His 1939 blue Ford 4- door Convertible is on display in which he "tooled around" the town with his visiting friends and which has been pictured many times with him driving with that jaunty cigarette in it's holder in his mouth many times..It brought back memories! We met an old Park guide there, who after discovering that I was a physician related all his many vascularc maladies for which he was receiving treatment presently....and then told me he was still working in thier Orthopedic Department making all sorts of Prosthetic devices for the handicapped and that he in fact devised the various braces that FDR utilized, as well as equipping his Ford with very crude Hand controls! He showed these to us and further informed us that FDR painted the lower ends of his shiny braces with black paint so that they would remain hidden from direct view when he went into the public! He also then showed his the elongated hand forged stirrups that he made for FDR who frequently rode horseback in the area after being helped on to the horses back....
Many of FDR's personal articles were displayedincludinf the big black cape he wore at the various Summit meetings he had with Stalin and Churchill. Since they invoked memorable images to us from having seen them so many times in Newsreels and newspaper photos..we both got emotional chills!
In addition many other things displayed, reinforced the misery of the era in which he served since they dealt with the "Great Depression" and the horrendous, calamitous World War II.
It was no wonder FDR was so respected by all since he had led this country through such difficult times. It still provided that feeling of devotion to him, by us, now...since Daras and I had lived it!
We left the exhjibit with mixed emotions ...pleased that we could see all the displays, yet somewhat depressed when we realized what it all represented....and then lastly recalling that he did not live long enough to witness the soon arriving Victory in the war!

We left..back in the van, and headed toward Atlanta...