National Parks in Hyde Park Receives Large Donation

HYDE PARK – A former National Park Service (NPS) employee recently bequeathed a generous financial donation to two national parks in Hyde Park, New York. The donation came from the trust of Mr. Donald E. Borquist, a longtime community member of Hyde Park, and a previous NPS Employee. Borquist’s gift will be divided evenly between the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site and Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site.

The funds were bequeathed to the National Park Foundation to be used at the two Hyde Park sites. The National Park Foundation is the official philanthropic partner organization for the National Park Service.

The bequest will allow the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt to accomplish the conservation of President Roosevelt’s wheelchair and accessible access to the historic grounds, among other projects. At the Vanderbilt Mansion, the park will be able to restore historic features to the formal gardens and the viewshed to the Hudson River. Both parks will be able to utilize funds on conservation projects, visitor experience improvements and historic landscape preservation projects as well.

A US Army veteran, Borquist served in the United States Army from 1948 to 1954. He received the Combat Infantry Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, Army of Occupation Medal for his duty in Japan and Korea and with the United Nations. He then worked for the NPS at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Vanderbilt Mansion for 31 years until his retirement in 1996. He made this gift in honor of the Halstead family, who arrived in the United States in 1679, and the Milmore and Borquist families, who came to the United States in the early 1800s.

“The generosity and love that Mr. Borquist had for these parks is overwhelming and inspiring,” said Superintendent, Amy Bracewell. “His legacy as a passionate civil servant will live on with the work we can accomplish with his donation.” The parks will be working in partnership with the National Park Foundation and the FDR Hyde Park Foundation to accomplish the many projects that will be carried out through this generous bequest.

“On behalf of the National Park Service, I would like to personally thank the family of Mr. Borquist for his generosity and love of these treasured places,” said Superintendent Bracewell. “His legacy will live on with this donation. I’d also like to thank our partners at the National Park Foundation and the FDR Hyde Park Foundation for supporting Mr. Borquist’s wishes and the continued preservation of our national parks.”