Land of Liberty Explorers

The New Hampshire home of artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens was preserved as a national historic park in 1977. Saint-Gaudens was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1861 – just before his parents immigrated to the United States. He started his art career as an apprentice cameo-cutter in New York City. He later studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris and worked in Rome before returning home to New York.

Saint-Gaudens is best known for his commissions of Civil War figures including Abraham Lincoln, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Robert Gould Shaw. Late in his life, he formed a friendship with Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt commissioned him to strike high relief gold coins to serve as American currency. His twenty dollar gold piece is generally considered the most beautiful coin in American history.

Visiting Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park

After a quick stop at the visitors center to pay the entry fee, pick up a map, and visit the small gift shop, we were off to explore the sculpture gardens. Here are some of our favorite works on display in the gardens:

Abraham Lincoln: the Man (Standing Lincoln)

Saint-Gaudens’ original 12 foot tall bronze sculpture of the 16th president stands in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. The sculpture captures Lincoln’s movement as he rises from his chair to speak.

Robert Gould Shaw & Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial

Saint-Gaudens captured the 54th Regiment’s movements in this tribute to one of the first African-American units in the U.S. Army. The original work was installed in Boston Common in 1884. We recalled seeing the original fifteen years ago during our honeymoon in Boston!

David Farragut Memorial

New York’s David Farragut Memorial was Saint-Gaudens’ first commissioned sculpture. Farragut was an admiral in the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. He is best know for saying “damn the torpedos! Full steam ahead!” during the Battle of Mobile Bay. The original memorial stands in Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Indoor Galleries

The Little Studio

The Little Studio was one of our favorite spots at the national historic park. The outside of building is lovely with its small formal garden, but we really enjoyed the exhibit inside that shows how Saint-Gaudens created the iconic gold sculpture of General William Tecumseh Sherman on horseback that we’ve strolled by so many times on our way into New York City’s Central Park.

Atrium & Picture Gallery

It was also fun exploring the Atrium and Picture Gallery to see more of Saint-Gaudens’ work including the Diana sculpture that once stood atop the highest tower in New York City, and the famous Double Eagle $20 gold coins.

There are also several reliefs of people who were important to Saint-Gaudens during his life hanging inside the Atrium.

Aspet House

Saint-Gaudens bought the house from his friend, New York lawyer Charles Beaman, Jr. in 1885. It originally served as the artist’s summer home, but eventually became the his full time residence. Take in the view of Mount Ascutney from the front porch before entering the home. The unique textured wallpaper throughout the house is a highlight as is the old fashion intercom system. Overall, we really enjoyed experiencing this small national historic park and learning about one of America’s best known artists.

Tips for Visiting Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park

We spent about 45 minutes following the park’s self-guided walking tour.
Check the Park’s calendar for information on when Aspet House is open to visitors.
The park also offers various art classes and programs for kids throughout the summer. We wish we could have taken part in a Watercolor Wednesday! Programs are all listed on the Park’s calendar.

Cornish-Windsor Bridge

The Cornish-Windsor Bridge is just down the road from Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park. The bridge was built across the Connecticut River in 1866 at a cost of $9,000. It is 449.5 feet long – making it one of the longest covered bridges in New England. Just be sure to walk your horse across to avoid the $2 fine.