Carl Sandburg Home readied for preservation work

FLAT ROCK, N.C. – Preparations for preservation work on the Sandburg Home at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site are underway. Throughout 2015 most of the furnishings inside the Sandburg Home will be inventoried and packed away. 

During this packing process visitors on tour will have an opportunity to see museum object preservation in person.  The home’s interior will start to look more like the Sandburg’s are just moving in with boxes still packed as the year goes on. 

After the furnishings are packed and removed, visitors will really have an opportunity to “go behind the scenes” and see the home in a very unique way.  During this time, exhibits inside the home will help to recreate the feel of how the Sandburg’s lived at Connemara. 

The furnishings are being packed to prepare the interior for several preservation treatments.  Windows in deteriorated condition will be repaired, the conservatory attached to the east side of the house will be rebuilt, walls will be painted, some of the wood floors will be refinished, and a dehumidification and air ventilation system will be installed.  There will not be a cool air conditioned system installed, but a system that will dehumidify the air and push it through the house.  This will better protect the furnishings from mold and mildew and provide a cooling effect for summer visitors to the home.

The park’s information center and bookstore in the ground floor of the Sandburg Home will remain open throughout the work. The upstairs will remain open for tours as much as possible during the next three years. The home will only close to tours for short periods when safety issues arise from the painting or installation work.

To best plan your visit, please check the park’s website and/or Facebook page for up-to-date information on work that is underway and any changes in tour schedules.