Carl Sandburg Home NHS, Connemara

Carl Sandburg Home
National Historic Site

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site preserves Connemara, the 245-acre farm where Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg and his family lived the last 22 years of his life. The farm consists of a 22 room house, barns, sheds, rolling pastures, mountainside woods, trails, two small lakes, a trout pond, flower and vegetable gardens, and an orchard.

LOCATION:
Flat Rock, NC

VISITATION:
Highest in July, August and October; lowest in January and February.

ADDRESS:
Carl Sandburg Home NHS
1928 Little River Road
Flat Rock, NC 28731

TELEPHONE:
(828) 693-4178

OPERATING HOURS:
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all year; closed December 25.

DIRECTIONS:
The park is 5 miles south of Hendersonville, NC. Turn off U.S. 25 onto Little River Road at the Flat Rock Playhouse. The park is 26 miles south of Asheville via Interstate 26. Take Upward Road exit off of Interstate 26 and follow the signs to the park.

TRANSPORTATION:
To Park: Access via interstate highway (I-26) and various state roads.

FEES, COSTS, RATES:
No entrance fee. A $3.00 interpretive fee is charged for the guided house tour. Children 16 years old and under may tour for free.

CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
Temperatures are moderate. Weather is unpredictable in spring and fall. Wear comfortable sportswear and walking shoes. Be prepared for rain.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:

Visitor Center/Exhibits: A visitor information station is located in the ground floor of the Sandburg house.
Trails: Approximately five miles of trail are available for walkers. They range in difficulty from easy to moderately strenuous.
Programs/Activities: Regularly scheduled guided tours of the Sandburg home are offered year round. Special Ranger programs and walks are available during the busy season.
Lodging and Camping Facilities: None are available in the park. A variety of hotels, motels, and camping sites are available in nearby communities of Hendersonville and Flat Rock.
Food/supplies: None in the park. Available in nearby communities.
Other Concessions, NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities: There is a bookstore located on the ground floor of the Sandburg home. It is managed by the park's nonprofit cooperating association, Eastern National Park & Monument Association.
Accessibility: A telephone is located in the visitor parking lot for those who need assistance getting to the house. A shuttle bus is available for those who cannot walk the trail to the house. All of the Sandburg home is accessible except for the third floor. The third floor portion of the guided tour can be heard while viewing photographs of the rooms. A captioned video tour is also available to visitors along with captioned interviews of Sandburg and his wife.

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES, PARK USE:
Guided tour of the Sandburg home; self-guided walking tour of the grounds; visit to the barn and Mrs. Sandburg's nationally renowned Chikaming goat herd; Ranger programs; picnicking; hiking; wildflower identification; and birdwatching.

RESERVATION/PERMITS:
Groups of more than sixteen persons can make reservations for morning tours in March through November. There is a limited number of tours, so it is advisable to call well in advance of your visit.

BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:
A minimum of two hours is recommended. Wear comfortable shoes and bring clothing for inclement weather.

SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS:
Performances of plays based on Sandburg's life and works are presented by the State Theater of North Carolina in the park amphitheater during the summer. Annual Christmas at Connemara celebration; annual Sandburg Folk Music Festival; book signings; special presentations by noted authors and historians are scheduled during the year.

VISITOR IMPACT:
Guided house tour size is limited. Information regarding tour availability can be obtained by using the telephone at the visitor parking lot.
The visitor parking lot will be closed if the park is closed due to ice, snow, or wind damage.

ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:
The State Theater of North Carolina

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Write the park for more information, at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, 1928 Little River Road, Flat Rock, North Carolina 28731, or call (704)693-4178.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN:
Visit this page to learn more about the GMP for Carl Sandburg NHS, a plan that will protect the cultural and natural resources of the park, meet the needs of our visitors, and address the concerns of our neighbors.

URL - http://www.nps.gov/carl.htm
Last Revision: 6/26/97