The Friends
The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara is a 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
Pedestrian detour in place from the Main parking lot to the farm and house area. It’s a half-mile walk from the Hikers’ parking lot to the farm and house area. If you need help accessing the farm and house area from either parking lot, please call the phone number listed on the signs in both lots. Limited shuttle availability.
Grounds –
Trails: Open dawn till dusk, 7 days a week
Barn: Open 7 days a week, 10 am – 4 pm
Bookstore –
Visitor Center: Open Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, and Sun, 10 am – 4 pm
House tours: No advanced tour reservations at this time. Limited first-come, first-served tours may be available. Please check in at the Visitor Center.
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Latest News:
Welcome, Superintendent Pipkin!
The National Park Service (NPS) selected Ashley Pipkin to serve as the new Superintendent of Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Pipkin began her new role on June 24, 2026.
“Carl Sandburg Home is a special place where history, literature and landscape come together,” said Superintendent Pipkin. “I’m honored to join this community and look forward to helping preserve and share its stories and legacy.”
Since beginning her NPS career in 2011, Pipkin has worked extensively in western parks, providing technical assistance on night skies and natural sounds. She has emphasized connecting communities with park resources throughout her career. Pipkin previously served as Acting Superintendent of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument and has held resource management roles at Boston Harbor Islands, Isle Royale, and Lake Mead. Pipkin earned her graduate degree from Texas A&M University and her undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina. A native of South Carolina, Pipkin said she looks forward to returning to the eastern deciduous forest landscape. She relocated from Boulder City, Nevada to the Flat Rock area with her husband and two children.
Our 2026 Scholarship Winners!
Congratulations to Zeb Pryer as the 2026 winner of The Friends of Carl Sandburg’s Donald E. Hubbs Scholarship. Zeb will attend UNC Wilmington this Fall to study Biology with pre-vet intentions.
“I was inspired by Lilian Sandburg’s breakthrough with goat breeding. To have support from the same
Congratulations to Mason Hudson as the 2026 winner of The Friends of Carl Sandburg’s Miles Sollom Scholarship. Mason will be backpacking in Glacier National Park and Banff National Park before attending NC State University this Fall. He will be studying Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology with a minor in
Meet "Treasure Bear"
Sponsored by the Friends and designed by local artist Andrea Martin, Treasure Bear now sits at the corner of Main Street and Third Ave. W. in downtown Hendersonville.
Celebrating our country’s 250th Anniversary this year, Treasure Bear depicts many of the national parks, forests, recreation areas and historic sites – most certainly national treasures.
As one of the 20 new “bears” along Main Street, Treasure Bear will be enjoying summer visitors and locals alike, patiently posing for photos until the bear auction in October. Stay posted for further information!
Rootabaga Stories Wins Hearts....Again!
Each summer, talented performers from the Flat Rock Playhouse bring to life the vivid characters and tall tales from Carl Sandburg’s Rootabaga Stories.
Over 100 years old, the stories continue to delight the young and older audiences at the Park’s amphitheater.
Written in 1922, Sandburg invented the whimsical, nonsensical stories to entertain his three daughters: Margaret, Janet, and Helga (nicknamed Spink, Skabootch, and Swipes).
He wanted to capture the musical rhythm of language, providing kids with stories that ignored adult logic and embraced pure absurdity. Sandburg wrote for “… people from 5 to 105. I knew that the American children would respond, so I wrote some nonsense tales with American foolin’ in them.”
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
Thank you to...
