Group Says Additional Funding, Staff Needed For Carl Sandburg National Historic Site

Full news release from NPCA
Flat Rock, N.C. – A new report released by the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) finds that additional funding and staffing are needed for the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site to ensure continued preservation of its historic structures and archival collections. While the park has a model partnership with the local community, additional funding and staffing would also help address preventive maintenance needs.

Overall, NPCA’s assessment rates the park’s cultural resources a “fair” score of 78 out of 100. The relatively small park staff, with the help of almost 130 regular volunteers and the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, does a terrific job preserving the majority of park resources; however, insufficient staffing and funding limit their ability to adequately protect historic structures. Additionally, at its current staffing level, the park has difficulty accomplishing all the needed cultural resource planning work and research.

“Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is a lesser-known gem of our National Park System,” said NPCA Program Manager Emily Jones. “While the park has formed an excellent partnership with the local community and its Friends group to help address park needs, additional funding and staffing will help ensure the park can adequately preserve the site for our children and grandchildren.”

As part of this year’s economic stimulus package, Carl Sandburg Home received funding for several key preservation and maintenance projects. The park was able to paint historic buildings, begin restoration of its landscape to more accurately reflect the Sandburgs’ period of residence, and maintain the fire suppression systems. Despite this recent funding, additional support is needed for long-term preservation of the site’s historic structures and archival collections.

A historic preservation specialist could provide expertise in caring for the site’s 50 historic structures and could also help complete a much-needed historic resource study, which would comprehensively evaluate the cultural resources at the park. The study would be useful for planning, interpretation, and ensuring the Sandburg and park story remain relevant to the public. In addition, Carl Sandburg Home is in need of funds to support an archivist to preserve and organize an extensive archival collection at the park, including photographs, newspapers, magazines, sound recordings and letters.

Recurring funds would help the park adequately interpret historic structures, such as the main house and barn, and would allow for increased interpretation of the grounds and cultural landscape.

In 2008, legislation was passed that authorizes the Park Service to add up to 110 more acres to the site to help preserve scenic views and three to five acres for a visitor center and additional parking. The land will be purchased from willing sellers or protected via a conservation easement. The boundary expansion was recommended in the park’s general management plan, which was completed in 2003. To date, 22 acres have been preserved in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. Funding will be requested as other acreage becomes available.

Authorized in 1968, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site preserves and interprets the works, life, and legacy of Carl Sandburg – one of our country’s most respected writers—and includes the estate called Connemara, where Sandburg and his wife lived for 22 years until his death. Today the site retains exceptional integrity. Each year, nearly 85,000 people visit the site to learn about Sandburg, enjoy the peace and serenity offered by the park’s 264 acres of forests, ponds and pastures, or interact with descendants of Mrs. Sandburg’s award-winning goat herd. The local community assists with caring for the park’s goats, and continues to show them in livestock competitions in the tradition of Mrs. Sandburg.

To read the full report click here