The Frost Place facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Frost Place
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The Frost Place in 2008
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ridge Road Franconia, New Hampshire, United States |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000126 |
| Added to NRHP | November 30, 1976 |
The Frost Place is a special museum and a learning center for poetry. It's located in the old home of a famous American poet named Robert Frost. You can find it on Ridge Road in Franconia, New Hampshire, in the United States. This historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, which means it's an important place to protect.
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History of The Frost Place
According to stories from local families, the poet Robert Frost first saw this property in 1915. He was looking for a home in the Franconia area at the time. He bought the house from a farmer named Willis Herbert. The house is one and a half stories tall. It has a long front with a porch. From the porch, you can see amazing views of the Franconia Range and Mount Lafayette.
Frost and his family lived in this house until 1920. Then, they sold it back to the Herbert family. It remained a private home for many years. In 1976, the town of Franconia bought the farm. They fixed it up and named it The Frost Place. It opened as a museum in 1977.
Since 1977, The Frost Place has given an award to new American poets. This award is called the resident poet award. It includes money and the chance to live and write in the house during the summer.
From 2013 to 2022, The Frost Place also offered a yearly prize for a chapbook. A chapbook is a small collection of poems. The winning chapbook was published by Bull City Press. Many talented poets won this prize, including Jill Osier and Tiana Clark.
Poetry Programs and Workshops
In 2024, The Frost Place hired poet Patrick Donnelly. He became the Program Director. He still leads the yearly Poetry Seminar. For many years, The Frost Place also hosted other events. These included a Conference on Poetry and a Conference on Poetry and Teaching. These events helped poets and teachers learn more about poetry.
How The Frost Place is Managed
A group of people called a board of trustees helps run The Frost Place. They are in charge of the museum and all its programs. Donald Sheehan was the executive director until 2005. In 2006, Jim Schley took over this role.
From 2008 to 2011, the trustees managed the place directly. Maudelle Driskell became the executive director in April 2011. She served until 2023. In the fall of 2023, Stacy Holmes was hired as the Interim Executive Director. In 2024, Stacy Holmes was officially appointed as the Executive Director. The Friends of the Frost Place is a nonprofit group. This group manages the house-museum and all its activities.
Resident Poets at The Frost Place
The Frost Place invites poets to live and write in Robert Frost's former home. These poets are called "resident poets." They get to spend time in this inspiring place. Many well-known poets have been resident poets over the years.
Some of the poets who have been residents include:
- 1977: Katha Pollitt
- 1978: Robert Hass
- 1980: William Matthews
- 1981: Mary Jo Salter
- 1983: Denis Johnson
- 1985: Kathy Fagan
- 1990: Rosanna Warren
- 1995: Luci Tapahonso
- 1999: Mary Ruefle
- 2004: Major Jackson
- 2005: Laura Kasischke
- 2009: Rigoberto González
- 2017: Christina Hutchins
- 2023: Jessica Jacobs
- 2024: Aurielle Marie
- 2025: Nathan Xavier Osorio
See also
- Robert Frost Farm (Derry, New Hampshire)
- Robert Frost Farm (Ripton, Vermont)
- Robert Frost Farm (South Shaftsbury, Vermont)
- Robert Frost House, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Robert Frost Stone House Museum, South Shaftsbury, Vermont
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Grafton County, New Hampshire
- List of residences of American writers
