CARL SANDBURG HOME, National Historic Site

“It is necessary now and then for a man to go away by himself and experience loneliness; to sit on a rock in the forest and to ask himself, ‘Who am I, and where have I been, and where am I going?’”

Carl Sandburg  (January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967) was an American writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. In 1965 he received honors from the NAACP for his coverage of the 1919 Chicago race riots and for his life-long struggle to extend the frontiers of social justice. Carl Sandburg spent a lifetime exploring what it meant to be an American and asked the eternal questions, “Who am I, and where have I been, and where am I going?” He did this through poetry, song, lectures, writing and lasting friendships with kindred spirits. Carl Sandburg and his family moved to a Flat Rock, North Carolina estate, Connemara, in 1945 and lived there until his death on July 22, 1967. In 1968 Congress authorized the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, the first park to honor a poet. The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is located on 264 acres in Western North Carolina. In addition to tours of the house, it also has over five miles of trails and beautiful gardens.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

This is a magestic place to visit.  Even if you don't take the

tour of the house, it's nice just to go walk around the grounds and trails.

The grounds are free, and it's $5 to tour the house.

It's a beautiful ivy-covered trail up to the house.

The 3-car garage.

This is the barn.  Life is good if you are a goat living here!

The front porch.  Typical 50's style chairs.

Mrs. Sandburg owned and operated a premier goat dairy from 1935 to 1965.  At Connemara, the dairy became a Grade A operation, with milk being distributed to local dairies and sold in stores around the community. Mrs. Sandburg's goat breeding program produced champion goats and led to the improvement of goats as milk producing animals.

The very BEST part of the visit is when you are greeted by

the descendents of Mrs. Sandburg's dairy goat herd.

 They are beautiful goats!

(Click the play button to watch video)

They are so cute and sweet!

TOUR OF THE HOME

This is the family room.  Everything in the house

is very 50s and original.  Nothing is in the home

that didn't belong to the Sandburgs.

Carl Sandburg's Office

Mrs. Sandburg's office

Dining room.

The bedrooms.

Some type of storage area.

Mrs. Sandburg's bedroom - best room in the house!

The kitchen.

Stairwells.

The trails and gardens surround the property are beautiful.

This was a chicken coop.  I don't exactly get why there

needs to be a bench in a chicken coop.  It's not like

you would want to go sit in there!

This is a completely separate house on the property.   I asked

what it was and was told by the rangers that visiting poets use

it to write in.  It was a beautiful little house.

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN

Grandfather Mountain is 5,946 feet above sea level and is a globally recognized nature preserve. The highlight of a trip to Grandfather Mountain is the Mile High Swinging Bridge. The bridge was built in 1952 to give visitors easy access to the breath-taking view from Grandfather Mountain's Linville Peak.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

 The drive up to the mountain this time of year is colorful!

 There are a lot of animals and varieties of birds at Grandfather Mountain.

 Not exactly something you want staring back at you through the bushes!

 The drive up to the swinging bridge offers spectacular views

of the Smoky Mountains.

 This is called Sphinx Rock because supposedly it looks like a Sphinx.

It doesn't look anything like a Sphinx to me - more like a messed-up gargoyle.

 This is called Split Rock - for obvious reasons.

 A cute little varmint.

 I don't know where this otter came from!

The drive up to the Swinging Bridge (visitor center is at the top).

 This is the Swinging Bridge.  Apparently, there is

nothing holding it up but cables.

 Walking on it is a little scary, because it does swing!

 Those people are crazy to walk up there!

 The view from the bridge is amazing.

 There is a hiking trail under the bridge.
It was a very rugged trail despite being called "moderate".

 You could look up at the bridge on the hiking trail.

 This thing is all that is holding the bridge up!

(I wouldn't have walked on the bridge had I known that!)

Views from up and down the mountain.

Great spot for a picnic!

 Same meal, different day.

 Forget those great views and fresh air - THIS

was what I was looking for!