American Political History Franklin D. Roosevelt Letter on Public Health and Development at Warm Springs Georgia 1929

Franklin Roosevelt

Manuscripts & Autographs

Roosevelt, Franklin D. Typed letter signed discussing public health and development issues in Warm Springs, Georgia, dated September 7, 1929. Written during Roosevelt’s tenure as Governor of New York, the correspondence addresses local concerns in Meriwether County including malaria control, road improvements, and the economic development of Warm Springs as a national health resort. The letter is directed to Arthur Carpenter, a Warm Springs resident, business associate of Roosevelt, and fellow polio survivor. Roosevelt emphasizes the importance of eliminating malaria in the region, warning that failure to address the disease would damage the town’s reputation as a therapeutic destination for patients seeking treatment and rehabilitation.

Roosevelt, Franklin D. Typed letter signed. September 7, 1929. Two pages on official Governor of New York letterhead measuring approximately 8 x 10.5 inches with blue printed letterhead and Roosevelt’s signature in pen. Addressed to Arthur Carpenter of Warm Springs, Georgia. In the letter Roosevelt comments directly on public health concerns and local governance, writing: “I hope the malaria situation is in hand. I think the county commissioners should have it put up to them very strongly that if Meriwether County gets the reputation for malaria it will absolutely and definitely block any possibility of its development as a health resort for people from all over the United States.” He further urges that county funds be appropriated for proper supervision of malaria control measures.

Roosevelt first traveled to Warm Springs in 1924 seeking treatment for the effects of poliomyelitis contracted in 1921. The town’s natural warm mineral springs were widely believed to offer therapeutic benefits for polio patients, and Roosevelt soon became deeply involved in the development of the community as a rehabilitation center. His influence helped transform the area into a nationally recognized therapeutic facility that later became the site of the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation. Written only weeks before the stock market crash of October 1929 and three years before Roosevelt’s election as President of the United States, the letter illustrates his early involvement in shaping the future of Warm Springs and his long standing connection to the town that would remain central to his life until his death there in 1945. Two pages measuring approximately 8 x 10.5 inches. Minor handling wear consistent with typed correspondence of the period. Overall condition very good.

Item #19798

Price: $1,200.00