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The Friends
The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara (“FOCS”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our nonprofit was established more than 30 years ago to support the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. FOCS is an all-volunteer organization.
The Board of Directors is 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, Flat Rock, NC. This includes funding historical, educational and artistic activities, but in times of crisis, we join with the community to help in bigger ways. Help us support the Park. Please donate today
Plan Your Visit
A pedestrian detour is in place from the Main parking lot to the farm and house area of .7 mile. It’s a .4 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 and Trails – open dawn till dusk, 7 days a week
Historic Goat Barn – open 7 days a week, 10 am – 4 pm
Visitor Center and Bookstore – open Tues – Sun, 9am-5pm.
House tours – House tour hours are currently Tuesday – Sunday at 11, 12, 1, 2, & 3. There are no advanced tour reservations and are limited to first-come, first-served. Please check in at the Visitor Center when you arrive (ground entrance at the front of the House).
Latest News:
You're invited: A Conversation with Superintendent Ashley Pipkin
Treasure Bear needs a home . . . and the auction starts Oct. 8th
The Friends’ 2026 “Treasure Bear” was designed by local artist Andrea Martin and depicts many of our national parks, forests, recreation areas and historic sites – certainly national treasures!
Treasure Bear has enjoyed a busy summer greeting visitors in downtown Hendersonville but is now ready to have a permanent home.
The online-only auction for any of the Bearfootin’ Bears will begin on October 8, 2026 at 10am EST and run through October 22, 2026 at 6pm EST. It’s free to register (see the link below) and you can bid anytime between October 8 and the deadline on October 22.
Click for bidding information:
https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/bearfootin-art-walk#:~:text=2026%20Auction
Congratulations to Zeb Pryer as the 2026 winner of The Friends of Carl Sandburg’s Donald E. Hubbs Scholarship.
Our 2026 Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to Mason Hudson as the 2026 winner of The Friends of Carl Sandburg’s Miles Sollom 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 foundation that inspired part of my vet journey growing up, it means dearly to me.”
We wish Zeb success and thank him for his passion for animal care! 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 Henderson County students seeking higher education in the fields of Conservation, Animal Science, or Parks and Recreation.
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 Journalism.
“This scholarship means a lot to me… I love knowing that my aspirations to protect our natural world are supported by those as close as in my very own city.”
We wish Mason success and thank him for his desire to preserve our natural world! 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 Henderson County students seeking higher education in the fields of Conservation, Animal Science, or Parks and Recreation.
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
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