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1928 Little River Rd, Flat Rock, NC 28731-9766
Phone: 828-693-4178
Fax: 828-693-4179
Open All Year
Overview. From 1945 until his death in 1967, Carl Sandburg and his family made their home among western North Carolina's rolling hills and meadows. One of America's best-known 20th-century writers, Sandburg won Pulitzer Prizes for his collected poetry and his biography of Abraham Lincoln. His estate, Connemara, encompasses 245 acres and includes Paula Sandburg's goat farm.
What to see and do. Divide your two or three hours between the house, the farm buildings, and the hiking trails. After stopping by the Visitor Information Center, located on the ground floor of the Sandburg home, take a guided tour through the 22-room farmhouse built in 1838. The first two of three floors are mobility-impaired accessible. You'll need to sign up for the guided tour (a nominal fee is charged), and groups over 15 persons should call ahead at least three weeks in advance for reservations. Outside, more than 20 outbuildings invite a leisurely exploration of the farm. Visit the renowned Chikaming goat herd, along with the barn, milkhouse, and springhouse where goat cheese was kept. On five miles of hiking trails, whose terrain ranges from easy to fairly strenuous, you wind about an orchard, two small lakes, a trout pond, gardens, and then up two small mountains. During the busy summer season, check at the visitor center for special ranger programs and walking tours. Typical North Carolina vegetation tests your wildflower identification skills.
Open from 9 AM until 5 PM daily, except for December 25, Connemara hosts several cultural events, including the Sandburg Folk Music Festival and presentations by authors and historians. Call ahead for details. Transportation will be arranged for anyone who cannot walk the short trail leading to the house, and captioned video tours are also available.
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