Warm Springs State Park
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Georgia — Near FDR’s Little White House — the natural warm springs (88°F year-round) attracted President Roosevelt, who first visited in 1924 seeking relief from polio. The springs flow at 800 gallons per minute from Pine Mountain. FDR died here on April 12, 1945.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | Georgia |
About Warm Springs
Warm Springs State Park in Meriwether County sits near the natural warm springs (88°F year-round) where President Franklin D. Roosevelt established his “Little White House” retreat. Roosevelt, who suffered from polio, found relief in the warm, mineral-rich spring water. He first visited in 1924 and returned regularly throughout his presidency. He died at the Little White House on April 12, 1945, while sitting for a portrait. The state park complements the adjacent FDR Presidential Site.
Things to Do
Visiting the adjacent FDR Little White House (where Roosevelt died in 1945), swimming in the warm springs pool, camping, hiking, fishing, and exploring the retreat that sustained a president through war and polio.
Getting There
Located on Warm Springs Road near the town of Warm Springs, Meriwether County. The FDR Little White House Historic Site (adjacent) is operated separately and charges admission. The town of Warm Springs retains its 1930s-40s charm with shops and restaurants on Broad Street. Pine Mountain (15 minutes) offers Callaway Gardens and F.D. Roosevelt State Park. One and a half hours south of Atlanta via I-85.
History & Ecology
Roosevelt first visited Warm Springs in 1924, seeking treatment for polio in the naturally heated 88°F mineral waters. He built the “Little White House” in 1932 — just before winning the presidency — and returned throughout the Great Depression and World War II. He died here on April 12, 1945, while Elizabeth Shoumatoff was painting his portrait — the “Unfinished Portrait” now hangs in the Little White House museum. The warm springs emerge from Pine Mountain, a quartzite ridge.
Insider Tips
FDR’s retreat: Warm Springs is where Franklin Roosevelt came for polio therapy — the warm mineral springs (88°F) eased his paralysis. Pro tip: FDR built the “Little White House” here and died at Warm Springs on April 12, 1945 — while sitting for a portrait. Polio: Roosevelt’s experience with polio at Warm Springs helped inspire the March of Dimes, which eventually funded Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine.
Best Time to Visit
Year-round: Little White House tours. Spring: Dogwood and azalea bloom. Fall: Comfortable weather. Summer: Full programming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did FDR really die at Warm Springs?
Yes — on April 12, 1945, Roosevelt collapsed while posing for a portrait at the Little White House. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage at age 63, just months before WWII ended in Europe (May 8) and the Pacific (August 15). He was with his companion Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, not Eleanor. The unfinished portrait — known as the “Unfinished Portrait” — remains at the Little White House, stopped mid-brushstroke at the moment of his death.
