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December 14, 2004 - Preservation Celebration
View of the newly protected property from
Mrs. Sandburg’s
world famous goat farm at Connemara.
The Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and Historic Flat Rock hosted a brunch December 14, 2004 to celebrate the preservation of 22 acres of land adjacent to the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. The brunch was held at the Woodfield Inn in Flat Rock, North Carolina. The NC Department of Cultural Resources purchased the property from the Conservation Trust for $380,000, which was the original purchase price. Funding was provided by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund.
The Conservation Trust purchased the property in November, 2001 to prevent the property from being sold for residential subdivision and development. The original intent was to hold the property until the National Park Service could attain congressional approval and funding to purchase it and add it to the Sandburg site. The Conservation Trust sought out the Department of Cultural Resources when it became apparent that legislation to expand the park’s boundary and purchase the property was not forthcoming.
The property provides a portion of the scenic backdrop to the Sandburg home, and contains forests, mountain ridges, and globally rare granitic dome plant communities. The newly acquired property fits in with the National Park Service’s General Management Plan which proposes adding up to 115 acres to the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Press Release
Preservation Celebration Speakers
(L to R): Kieran Roe, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy Executive Director; Secretary Lisbeth Evans, NC Department of Cultural Resources; Reid Wilson, Conservation Trust for North Carolina Executive Director; Barbara McCraw, Friends of Connemara President; Connie Backlund, Carl Sandburg National Historic Site Superintendent; Dries Jansma, Historic Flat Rock President.
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