PRESS RELEASE FROM APPALACHIAN DESIGNS:
Local rustic furniture maker Appalachian Designs recently crafted two replica benches for the lawn of the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site located in the town of Hyde Park, New York overlooking the Hudson Valley.
“2016 is the centennial of the National Park Service so we were especially honored to contribute an installation to a historic site during the year in which we’re celebrating 100 years of our nation’s parks,” says Lang Hornthal, owner of Appalachian Designs. “The original bench was most likely not made out of black locust, but we chose that material for it’s durability in an outdoor setting. Most of the split rail fences that dot western North Carolina are made from locust and we are fortunate to have such a great local resource to use for such a project.”
According to the curator of the site’s museum, Frank Futral, it was common for the Roosevelts to take furniture out of the main house out onto the lawn to enjoy the scenery around them. In this vein, Appalachian Designs’ benches are situated on the sprawling lawns of the home and allow visitors to take in a full view of the Hudson River Valley as the Roosevelts once did.
The house, which was the site of the first U.S. Presidential Library as well as FDR’s lifelong home, provides a glimpse into the life of the only four-term American president without compromising the natural beauty of the area. Open to the public, the home and its grounds are registered with the National Park Service.
Appalachian Designs specializes in outfitting rustic homes and landscapes, designing and building a wide range of solid wood furniture, stairs and railings, architectural elements, and custom designs. Appalachian Designs is owned and operated by Lang Hornthal, who has 20 years experience in custom wood design and craftsmanship.
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