On Wednesday, October 17, 2018, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site will celebrate its 50th anniversary with poetry, music, house and museum tours, outdoor activities, birthday cake, and a formal ceremony commemorating Sandburg’s legacy. The public is invited to join in this special celebration. A list of activities and participation opportunities follows.
9am-1pm. The People, Yes Read Aloud. Park Amphitheater.
Join us for the first community read aloud of The People, Yes, considered by Sandburg to be one of his most important poems. If you wish to participate as a reader, please sign up in advance for a specific time block at www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/50th.htm. 48 readers are needed! Readers will read a short portion of the poem and receive a small thank you gift for participation. Readers are asked to arrive 10 minutes before their assigned time block, to allow for parking, the short walk to the amphitheater, and brief program instructions.
10am-12pm. Museum Preservation Center Open House.
Join a special behind the scenes tour of the park’s Museum Preservation Center. See historic objects that are either too fragile for display in the house or need special storage conditions. You will also learn how our curatorial team cares for these treasures. A shuttle will take you from the amphitheater to the center. A shuttle schedule will be available onsite.
2:00 – 4:00 pm. 50th Anniversary Celebration. Park Amphitheater.
Join Park Superintendent Polly Angelakis, National Park Service Southeast Regional Director Bob Vogel, and poets Glenis Redmond and Kimberly Simms as they reflect on and celebrate the history of the park and Sandburg’s legacy. The program concludes with a folk music set by Grammy award-winning musician Dan Zanes. Birthday cake and other refreshments will be served during the music.
Tours of the Sandburg Home and outdoor activities will be available throughout the day from 9:30am to 4:30pm. A complete schedule of events will be posted at www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/50th.htm. and available onsite.
The 50th anniversary celebration is supported by the National Park Service, Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, and Eastern National, the non-profit partner that operates the park bookstore.
“People loved Sandburg’s poetry because they could see their lives, struggles, and hopes reflected and magnified in his words,” said Superintendent Polly Angelakis. “Sandburg became known as the Poet of the People because he honored every person, from every walk of life. It is fitting that his home became a national park site, to be enjoyed by everyone, and we look forward to the next 50 years.”
In the 1960’s the National Park Service was actively seeking to preserve America’s cultural heritage. After Carl Sandburg’s death in 1967, Secretary of Interior Stewart Udall traveled to Flat Rock, North Carolina and met with Mrs. Sandburg to discuss the possibility of Connemara becoming a unit of the National Park System. With the support and input from the Sandburg family, the Congressional delegation, and the community, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was authorized on October 17, 1968.
The site is dedicated to preserving the legacy of Carl Sandburg and communicating the stories of his works, life, and significance as an American poet, writer, historian, biographer of Abraham Lincoln, and social activist. The site preserves and interprets the farm, Connemara, where Sandburg and his family lived for the last 22 years of his life (1945-1967).
The park is located three miles south of Hendersonville off U.S. 225 on Little River Road, and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. For further information please telephone 828-693-4178, or visit our website at:
