Goat Barn at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

Lilian Sandburg was the driving force behind the Sandburg’s move from a home on the dunes of Lake Michigan to Flat Rock, North Carolina. In 1935 she took up the hobby of raising goats for milk. She eventually bred an award-winning herd and became internationally famous among those in the goat breeding business. However, the herd outgrew the Michigan property, sending Lilian on a quest to find a bigger property in a warmer climate. Carl had no objections as long as the place was quite so he could write. On a trip to North Carolina with her daughter Helga, Lilian found the Smyth house for sale and arranged for the purchase. In 1945, the family moved to their new home.

When Carl died and Lilian donated the house and furnishings to create Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, she did not include the goats (which were sold). The National Park Service has resurrected the goat farm for historical purposes, and today the herd consists of three varieties of goats, all descendants of Lilian Sandburg’s goats: Toggenburgs (tan and white), Saanens (white), and Nubians of African descent (long, floppy ears). Baby goats are born each spring, and this is one of the busiest tourist seasons at the park.

The goat barn, farm, and pasture at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site are open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM, except when closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. How long you’ll want to spend at the farm is only limited by your love for goats, but a half hour should be ample time for most people. Keep in mind that times can always change, so be sure to get the latest schedule on the National Park Service’s Operating Hours and Seasons web page for the park.