FDR attendance figures offer glimpse into local tourism

Interest in the legacy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt is at its highest point in more than 25 years, according to data supplied by the nation's first presidential library.

Buoyed by a PBS documentary on the Roosevelts by Ken Burns, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in 2014 welcomed 173,000 visitors, the highest attendance since 1989. Attendance in 2014 more than doubled when compared to 2012, when 84,000 people helped spur the local tourism industry by visiting the library.

As his recent visit to the the library and the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site wound down, Matthew Driscoll of Long Island said he was impressed. Both sites gave him a better understanding of FDR as a president and a person, as well as the historical context in which he led the nation.