Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was home to the American poet/writer and his wife for 22 years, and it is where the three-time Pulitzer Prize winner died in 1967. The 264-acre site features pastures, ponds and hiking trails, the Sandburg residence and goat barn, and numerous other structures. The museum preservation center contains 325,298 Sandburg items: letters, telegrams, maps, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and 12,000 volumes of the Sandburg's books. Tours of the house — named Connemara by a previous owner — are offered daily for a small fee.

Parking and public transportation at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
The park is located at 1,800 Little River Rd., Flat Rock, N.C., three miles south of Hendersonville and a short drive off Interstate 26. The walk to the house from the parking lot is about 2,000 feet, with a 100-foot elevation climb. Assistance is available for those with limited mobility.

Best and worst time go to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
The site is open year-round, but offers special events each year. A Folk Music Festival is held each Memorial Day, and Christmas at Connemara events occur on certain days in November and December. Special events for children occur during the summer months. Access to the site may be impacted by snow during winter months. The site is open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day. The grounds are open sunup to sundown.

Admission to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
There is no cost to visit the farm or hiking grounds. A small fee ($5 or less) is charged for a guided tour of the house, though children 15 and under can tour for free. Fees are waived on certain U.S. holidays. Groups of 10 and school groups are asked to make reservations.

Must see/do at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
The Sandburgs moved to Connemara to accommodate Mrs. Sandburg's goat herd, and you can tour the barn and learn more about her renowned, award-winning goats. Visitors touring the home can see the simple and comfortable home where the Sandburgs lived and the writer worked. Everywhere through the house are book from floor to ceiling. The bookstore in the basement offers simple and affordable copies of some Sandburg poems in his own handwriting.

Other places to visit near Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theater of North Carolina, is located across the street from the entry to the Carl Sandburg House. The 10,400 acre DuPont State Recreational Forest is located nearby. The forest was a primary filming site for "The Hunger Games" movie. Tours of filming locations are available. Chimney Rock State Park is 25 miles to the east, featuring outstanding views, hiking, bird-watching and rock climbing.

Insider tip for visitors to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
When touring Connemara you may feel that the Sandburgs have just stepped away for a moment. Mail addressed to Carl is strewn around on coffee tables or on the television. In his office look for Sandburg's typewriter perched atop a peach crate, and the binoculars the family used for birdwatching.

Author's bio: JD Austin is an Asheville, North Carolina, native who has worked more than 30 years in journalism around the Southeast United States.