What ’ s lit got to do with it ? Deconstructing the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
over an hour away from the famed Blue Ridge Parkway� easily accessible to tourists in the western North Carolina area . Located just outside Hendersonville , North Carolina ( about 30 miles from Asheville ), the homestead features a large antebellum house situated on a small farm perched high on a picturesque ridge deep in the Appalachian Mountains . The home ’ s front door and large raised front porch trimmed with twin staircases faces northeast , affording visitors a pleasant view of neighboring forested ridges and distant mountain tops . Just a short walk from the main house sits Mrs . Sandburg ’ s goat barn and barnyard complete with a herd of young goats ( direct descendants of her prize-winning herd ). Several other original outbuildings are also near the house and serve as maintenance service buildings . The rest of the 264-acre property has over 5 miles of recreational trails that weave through the mountainous natural landscape ( NPS ).
Until recently , the house , which is also home to Sandburg ’ s large personal collection of books and the family ’ s original furnishings , had several roof leaks and areas of rotted wood and mold . However , a multimillion-dollar renovation and restoration project was just completed in mid-2018 ( National Park Service ; see also Axtell ). The National Park Service ’ s investment in the house implies it believes the site is important not just as a place where the public can come and enjoy the natural local environment , but also as a tribute to the late author as evidenced by the decision to preserve his home and belongings ( in order to continue to tell the story of his life and communicate the importance of his writings ). Despite the Park Service ’ s belief that Sandburg is still a relevant and important figure in American history , little is known about how visitors perceive either Sandburg or his literature ( either before or after their visit ) or how those perceptions
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