Please be aware: Due to the government shutdown, the Park grounds, hiking paths, and parking lots remain open. However, the house and barn are closed to the public and the shuttle service is not available.
The Friends
The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds to help support the park however we can. Our nonprofit was established more than 30 years ago to support the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. FOCS is an all-volunteer organization with a Board of Directors composed of members with diverse careers, varied interests, and assorted talents. We all share a deep respect for Sandburg’s history and pride in his family’s home at Connemara. This includes funding historical, educational and artistic activities, but in times of crisis, we join with the community to help in bigger ways. Help Support the Park. Please donate today
Plan Your Visit
While Hurricane Helene’s impact is still affecting areas of the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, there has been considerable progress thanks to the efforts of Park Rangers. Both the main parking lot and the small hiker’s lot off of Little River Road are open. The hiking trails and grounds are open dawn to dusk.
Portable toilets and hand-washing stations still remain near the main house, the barn, and hikers’ lot. Please plan your visit accordingly.
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Latest News:
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American SongBear – SOLD!
We are thrilled to share that our 2025 Bearfootin’ bear, American SongBear, will continue to call Hendersonville home. SongBear, beautifully painted by local artist Joan Covell and inspired by Carl Sandburg’s The American Songbag, a 1927 collection of over 280 treasured American folk songs, currently stands proudly at the corner of Main Street and 5th Avenue East. Hendersonville’s story continues to live on through its art, and we couldn’t be happier for SongBear to remain a part of it.
Congratulations to our 2025 Friends of Carl Sandburg Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to McCrea Robinson for being the 2025 winner of The Friends of Carl Sandburg’s Donald E. Hubbs Scholarship. This scholarship is sponsored by The Friends of Carl Sandburg and awarded through the Community Foundation of Henderson County. The scholarship Fund serves to provide financial support for local Henderson County students seeking a college degree in the fields of Conservation, Animal Science, or Parks and Recreation. McCrea is going to be attending UNC Wilmington to major in Marine Biology with her focus being marine mammals. She’s a hard-working student currently holding down two summer jobs and is passionate about a future knowing that her degree, focus, and education matters and has a purpose. We wish you great success in your college journey and thank you for planning a future dedicated to helping animals!
Congratulations to Jesse Jakubielski for winning The Friends of Carl Sandburg’s Miles Sollom Scholarship. This scholarship is sponsored by The Friends of Carl Sandburg and awarded through the Community Foundation of Henderson County. The scholarship Fund serves to provide financial support for local Henderson County students seeking a college degree in the fields of Conservation, Animal Science, or Parks and Recreation. Jesse will be returning to Appalachian State University as a junior majoring in Recreation Management with a concentration in commercial recreation and tourism. She’s a hard-working student and hopes through her studies, she can assist in creating wonderful recreational memories for the public just as Flat Rock and the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site has for her. We wish you great success in your college journey and thank you for planning a future dedicated to community enrichment.
Hikers, visitors, individuals and businesses who are committed to the Friends’ mission, we could not continue this legacy without your support. Through farsightedness and generosity, we all seek to ensure that the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site will continue to be available for future generations.
With heartfelt thanks, we appreciate your support.
Board of Directors
The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara
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