Saturday, August 13, 2022

Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site

August Saint- Gaudens began his artistic career in 1861 as an apprentice to a cameo cutter in New York City. After six years of training he traveled to Europe to study sculpting and classic art and received his first commissions.  Back in the US in 1870s he quickly became known for his realist statues of prominent people. His success allowed him to buy and remodel an inn built in 1817 to serve as the family home for his wife and son. He transformed the 190 acres surrounding the house by planting hedges and gardens, and created recreation areas such as a golf course and a lawn bowling green.
There a lot to see - visitor center, first floor of the house, the studio, stable and icehouse, out buildings that are now exhibit galleries, gardens, sculptures, and two trails.
Nothing, except the visitor center which has a movie and a few displays, is accessible. The routes on the park's Accessibility Map are over uneven, grass ground and very difficult. Other routes have mulch or uneven bricks and lead to steps or other obstacles. 
RV parking is in the grassy meadow before the small main parking lot. The road to the visitor center is uphill so visitors who have trouble walking may wish to be dropped off. There is an accessible parking area (no turn around) near the visitor center where short RVs will fit. Park     43.5, -72.3691


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