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Explore a new national monument in Maine, which honors the first woman to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet
Frances Perkins was the U.S. Secretary of Labor between 1933 and 1945.
As Labor Day approaches, travelers can explore the Maine property of the woman who helped shape the American workplace at one of the nation’s newest national monuments.
The Frances Perkins Homestead in Newcastle, a National Historic Landmark since 2014, was designated a national monument by President Joe Biden in December and became the Frances Perkins National Monument — the nation’s 433rd national park site.
“It has elevated the profile in the way that I think just a lot more people are understanding that the site is there and that they are welcome to visit us,” said Amanda Hatch, executive director of the Frances Perkins Center.
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Frances Perkins, a trailblazing woman and advocate for social justice, labor rights, and economic security, was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet as the U.S. Labor Secretary under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She championed workplace protections such as the 40-hour work week, minimum wage, and Social Security and served from 1933 to 1945, the longest serving secretary of labor.
“A lot of historians call her the architect of the New Deal or the woman behind the New Deal,” said Hatch. “So a lot of the New Deal policies that we know and still rely on today were actually ideas that she brought into the office.”
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On Sept. 7, a celebration of the 90th anniversary of social security will take place at a special ticketed event on the property with guest speakers James Roosevelt, Jr. and the Maine Women’s Lobby.
The 57-acre site includes a Welcome Center that debuted in June, a gift shop, the 1837 Homestead Barn featuring a self-guided “Life & Legacy of Frances Perkins” exhibit, and a two-mile roundtrip trail along the river. The 1837 Brick House is currently closed for ongoing archival work, and will open next season for tours, Hatch said.
Visitors can literally walk in Perkins’ footsteps on the wooded trail that leads to the Damariscotta River, open from dawn to dusk year round and one of the trailblazer’s favorite nature walks. Visitors can download a trail map or pick one up in the Welcome Center, open through Sept. 28.
Though Perkins was born in Boston and grew up in Worcester, in personal letters she describes the Newcastle property as feeling the most like home, Hatch said, and is actually buried nearby.
“As far as we can tell she spent pretty much every summer of her life there,” Hatch said.
The Frances Perkins Center, a nonprofit established in 2009, purchased the family home in 2020 from Perkins’ grandson and only living descendent, Tomlin Perkins Coggeshall and renovated it in preparation for visitors. Coggeshall lived to see his homestead become a national monument, passing away a few weeks after attending the presidential proclamation signing in December.
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“It’s very special that he was able to be there and see that recognition for his grandmother that he had been pursuing for decades,” Hatch said.
The national monument is a great way to experience heritage tourism, Hatch said.
“It’s rooted in something tangible and real to people,” she said.
Hatch said she’s seeing a lot of “skip-gen” visitors this year, or grandparents bringing grandchildren. New programming for kids includes coloring pages, worksheets, and a trail Bingo game. And now all guests can get their National Park Service Passport to Your National Parks stamp there.
Hatch encouraged visitors to check the monument’s website for possible October programming.
Other things to do in the area include visiting the nearby Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, attending the popular Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta taking place this year Oct. 10-13, or simply exploring downtown Damariscotta, Hatch said.
“If you want the coastal Maine downtown experience, you can’t go wrong just parking in Damariscotta and walking around,” she said.
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