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#MuseumFromHome FDR's First Fireside Chat

Updated: Mar 19, 2020


In the Museum house we have a streamlined, art deco, wood radio in the living room. Above the radio we (usually) have a framed photo of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.* While giving tours we often talk about the importance of FDR's fireside chats as a way for him to reassure Americans struggling under the weight of the Great Depression. His first radio address took place on March 12, 1933, eight days after his inauguration. Sixty million Americans listened to this address. He spoke about the bank crisis in layman's terms and laid out what he planned to do to help the situation. Listen to his address here and if you're looking for additional materials to use with kids at home, check out this page from PBS and the Ken Burns documentary, The Roosevelts. Though Greenbelt wouldn't be built until several years later, FDR continued to give fireside chats until 1944, giving Greenbelters plenty of opportunities to listen.

* Our portrait of FDR was damaged by water when the historic house flooded several years ago. The portrait has been professionally restored but not re-framed. We hope to get it back up soon!


 
 
 

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VISITOR INFORMATION 

Historic House  

 

10B Crescent Rd.

Greenbelt, MD 20770

Open Sundays 

Tours on the 1/2 hour

1pm to 4:30pm

Admission $5

Exhibition Gallery  

 

Lenore Thomas Straus Exhibit

Greenbelt Community Center

15 Crescent Rd. 

Greenbelt, MD 20770

Open M-Sat 9am-10pm, 

Sundays 10am-7pm

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Greenbelt Museum Office


15 Crescent Road

Greenbelt, Maryland 20770

301-507-6582 

info@greenbeltmuseum.org

Community Pledge

The strength of Greenbelt is diverse people living together in a spirit of cooperation. We celebrate all people. By sharing together all are enriched. We strive to be a respectful, welcoming community that is open, accessible, safe and fair.

Preserving and sharing the New Deal history of an experimental planned community built by FDR in suburban Maryland in 1937 and still thriving today.

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