Aspet

The home had been empty when Augustus and Augusta Saint-Gaudens arrived in 1885. Soon they filled the home with their eclectic taste and artistic guests. Greek-styled columns, Italian-inspired gardens, and their own personal touch soon adorned this home in the rolling hills of the New England landscape

• Aspet sits on a raised terrace with cultivated lawns sloping away to the north, south, and west. The house faces south and overlooks a formal garden on its north side. The house is a three story, symmetrical, brick building with cedar shingles on the roof. There is one dormer in the center on each of the two sloped roofs. The vertical walls between the edges of the intersecting slopped roof are also constructed of brick and project above the roof on the east and west sides of the house. The rabbit ear shape of these symmetrical gable parapets consists of four steps and a tall chimney on each side. The walls are constructed of brick and painted white. S-shaped iron anchor ties are intact on the east and west sides. The windows have simple wood sills and are flanked by very dark green shutters on all sides of the house. The main entrance to the house is centered on the south facade and consists of a paneled door with eight rectangular windows in the top half. A tall, wooden arch or arbor further accents the main entrance. Above the door is a semi-circular window. On both sides of the door are narrow windows. The front door is accessed from an open wood deck about 6 inches off the ground. The deck has two built-in wooden benches with attached planted boxes on either side of the front door. The west piazza or porch extends the full-width of the west side of the building and frames views toward Mt. Ascutney. Ten Ionic or simple columns support a wood pergola roof consisting of rafters with decoratively cut ends. Sculpted ram's heads ornament the ends of the carrying beams that extend from the north and south sides of the piazza. The piazza floor consists of a wood plank deck that is painted red. A wood balustrade or ornamental railing wraps around the piazza and is attached to long, built-in benches that extend around the interior of the space. Wood posts frame doorways centered in the north and south ends of the piazza. These doorways are ornamented with classical moldings and are accessed by two wood steps. Dark green painted trellises mounted above the balustrade enclose the side walls of the piazza. Grape vines grow along the three open sides of the west piazza. Leaves and grapes hang overhead during the summer and fall. A less formal entrance to the house is accessed from the west piazza. It consists of a paneled door, screen door in the summer, and semi-recessed columns on either side. Enter through this door when the interior of the space is open for visitation.

Blow-Me-Down Bridge

Hidden by a modern redesign of the road, portions of Charles Beaman's elaborate stone bridge remain intact.

• Water from stream flows through stone archway about 20 feet wide. Elaborate stonework surrounds the arch.

Blow-Me-Down Farm

The arts are alive at Blow-Me-Down Farm. Charles Beaman, Jr., a wealthy New York City lawyer and avid supporter of the arts, drew many creatives to this area including the renowned sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Visit a special event at Beaman’s breathtaking former estate or attend a musical production by our partner, Opera North.

• The Blow-Me-Down Farm consists of about 43 acres of historic landscapes, forests, and agricultural fields. Mt. Ascutney can be seen rising from the flat landscape across the Connecticut River.

Little Studio

Light from a wall of windows illuminates this place of creativity, inspiration, and exhibition. Enter the private studio of the artist creating distinctly American art

• The Little Studio is a long, east-west oriented, one-and-one half-story, wood-frame building on a slightly raised terrace designed to ground the building in the landscape. The studio is rectangular and has a wide gable roof. The main roof has wood shingle cladding. A flat, rectangular raised section with four windows on each side rises from the spine of the roof. It runs along about three quarters of the gable roof. The façade is accented by a full-length Classical loggia – or covered exterior area – that wraps around the south and west elevations. The loggia consists of simple or Doric columns that rest on a low concrete block wall that is capped with grey marble and flanked by a linear flower bed on the façade. Bricks set in a decorative basket-weave pattern comprise the loggia floor. Smooth stucco, painted red, covers the exterior wall. There are multiple scenic views of the surrounding meadows, gardens, Mt. Ascutney, and forest. Overhead, grapes cover a black wooden pergola the length of the loggia. The grapes turn from green to purple in late summer and continue growing until fall. The Little Studio is a long, east-west oriented, one-and-one half-story, wood-frame building on a slightly raised terrace designed to ground the building in the landscape. The studio is rectangular and has a wide gable roof. The main roof has wood shingle cladding. A flat, rectangular raised section with four windows on each side rises from the spine of the roof. It runs along about three quarters of the gable roof. The façade is accented by a full-length Classical loggia – or covered exterior area – that wraps around the south and west elevations. The loggia consists of simple or Doric columns that rest on a low concrete block wall that is capped with grey marble and flanked by a linear flower bed on the façade. Bricks set in a decorative basket-weave pattern comprise the loggia floor. Smooth stucco, painted red, covers the exterior wall. There are multiple scenic views of the surrounding meadows, gardens, Mt. Ascutney, and forest. Overhead, grapes cover a black wooden pergola the length of the loggia. The grapes turn from green to purple in late summer and continue growing until fall. A cast plaster frieze modeled after those found on the Greek Parthenon extends along the top of the studio's south wall, within the loggia. The artwork depicts about 40 semi-dressed Greek individuals in sandals covered with faded paint. The horizontal piece consists generally of three section. From left to right, they include a group of figures walking and holding vases, a group of figures on horseback, and figures seated at tables. A wide doorway with a sliding wood door that replicates a barn door is centered on the facade and serves as the main entrance to the studio. The interior of the building contains a main floor with an open, light-filled studio. The room has a long rectangular plan and opens to a ceiling height of approximately two stories. Built-in benches, cabinets, shelves, and bookcases line the perimeter of the room. These features form a seating area flanking a central fireplace on the west wall and define a study on the east wall. Tongue-and-groove boards, finished with black paint, comprise the floor. Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ piece, Diana, is displayed in the center of the room. This statue depicts a slender, nude woman drawing a bow and arrow. One arm is affixed straight away from her body and holds the bow. The other hand bends sharply at the elbow as she pulls the string back past her ear. Her weight is on left foot while her right foot is above the ground. The figure gazes softly forward. A wide doorway in the northeast comer of the studio opens into a hallway leading from the east side of the piazza into the modeling room. The wood floors continue throughout the main floor but the walls in the modeling room are simpler and finished with plaster. A pull-down ladder in the room provides access to an enclosed loft above a portion of the space.

Robert Gould Shaw & Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial

This memorial was distinct among public commemoration of the American Civil War

• The title of the sculpture is the “Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Infantry Regiment Memorial”. The artist is Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It is a bronze relief mounted on a granite base and decorative concrete slab. The relief is 11 feet tall and 14 feet wide. The bottom and side edges are straight. The top edges arch slightly inward. The memorial sits atop a granite platform about two feet above the ground. It is framed by two flat concrete columns connected by a stylized concrete arch. A figure of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw is at the center of the sculpture. He is seated on a horse with a straight back. This portion is almost entirely three dimensional. The equestrian figure is standing in front of rows of African American soldiers marching in unison. Shaw is riding by their side. A young man is at the front of the group playing a drum. The others rest their guns on their shoulders. They carry packs with rolled blankets on their back. A strap crosses their bodies to secure a water canteen at their hips. The solders appear to emerge out of the vertical plan of bronze. The individuals closest to the viewer are almost entirely three dimensional. There are about 20 visible faces in the sculpture. Each is different. One has a complete beard and appears older than the rest. They all look resolutely ahead. Glimpses of more shoes, pant legs, and rifles give the appearance of additional soldiers beyond the visible faces. There is a floating woman above the heads of Colonel Shaw and the soldiers. Her eyes are cast down with a sympathetic gaze. One arm is outstretched. She holds an olive branch in the other arm. There are poppy flowers close to her body. The entire sculpture produces the effect of forward movement from the viewer’s left to right. All the figures face the right. To mimic the stance of the soldiers, take a step forward with your right foot. Shift your upper body over the right leg. Allow the heel of your left foot to come off the ground. Lean your entire body forward a couple more inches. This is the stance of the soldiers marching forward. The drapery of the angelic figure flows to the left as if she too appears to be moving forward with the mass of troops. The words “omnia relinquit servare rempublicam” are inscribed in the upper right corner as you face the memorial. This Latin message translates roughly to “he gave all to serve the republic”. Text also runs along the bottom of the sculpture. It read “ROBERT GOULD SHAW KILLED WHILE LEADING THE ASSAULT ON FORT WAGNER JULY TWENTY THIRD EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE.” It also states “AUGUSTUS SAINT-GAUDENS 1898” in smaller letters on the far right. Archibald Grimke was an African American activist, lawyer, and orator. This is how he described the soldiers in the memorial at an event in 1901: “They are not afraid. A high courage looks from their stern faces, lives in the martial motion of their supple bodies, flashes from the barrels of their guns. Whilst gazing at the heroic group, one is almost able to catch the firm and regular beat of their iron heels on the stones of the street, almost able to see the cloud of fine dust rising and whirling backward in their swift tracks.”

The Standing Lincoln

In this work of public art, the noted orator seems ready to personally address the modern viewer

• The title of this work is “Abraham Lincoln: The Man”. It is commonly referred to as “The Standing Lincoln”. The artist is Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It is a bronze sculpture mounted on a granite pedestal. This work is a monument to President Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. It has two distinct parts: the standing figure of Abraham Lincoln and the Chair of State behind him. Both are cast in bronze and connected by a bronze platform. The sculpture is elevated five feet off the ground by a granite pedestal. The name “Abraham Lincoln” is engraved on the front of the pedestal. The president stands at an impressive 12 feet tall. With the added height of the granite base, Lincoln towers above us. I will now describe Lincoln’s posture. If you’d like and are able to, feel free to mimic the stance with your own body as another way to experience the sculpture. Lincoln stands with his left leg in front of his right leg and slightly bent at the knee, as if he has just risen from the Chair. His left arm is bent as he grasps the lapel of his coat, perhaps to smooth it down. His right arm is tucked behind him with a small bend in the elbow. His right hand rests on his lower back. His head is gently bowed in contemplation. We get the sense that Lincoln is immersed in a private moment of deep thought. Maybe he’s preparing to deliver an important speech or message. His strong, open posture and reflective expression imbues many with a sense of calm and quiet. Saint-Gaudens paid close attention to detail. He sculpted all the folds and ripples of Lincoln's clothing, the wrinkles above his brow, and messy waves in his hair. He was not interested in depicting Lincoln as merely the polished Head of State. Rather, he wanted this monument to honor the integrity of Lincoln’s character and basic humanity. Behind Abraham Lincoln, there is the six-and-a-half-foot grand Chair of State. The chair is rigid, ornate, and oversized. It is symbolic of the United States government. Saint-Gaudens chose to exaggerate its size to express that nobody, not even Lincoln, can fill its seat. It stands on four sturdy legs that curve elegantly into a spiraled design at the top. At the bottom, they are each carved as a lion’s paw. The seat of the chair is a large, flat square. We can’t see the top of it. The chair back is wider than it is tall, and curves slightly inward at either end. A huge bald eagle with wings outstretched is emblazoned onto it.

Visitor Center

• Visitor Center
• Located next to the statue of Abraham Lincoln, the Visitor Center provides information and restrooms to all visitors. Here you can watch the orientation film, browse the gift store, and learn about available public programs.

• Drop-In Art Activities
• Join park educators for daily art activities Monday through Saturday. Activities include watercolor painting, origami, and zine making. Drop-in art activities are free with park entry and open to all ages and experience levels. Reservations are not required.