Life after 432: Francis Perkins National Monument
Although we declared our quest to visit every national park unit was to be complete once we visited number 432 out of 432, it didn’t take long until the government added another.
Francis Perkins National Monument was established by President Biden on December 16, 2024, just 4 months after we finished visiting our “last” unit. Fortunately, when we were in Maine to visit St. Croix Island National Historic Site and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, we took the time to stop by the Francis Perkins home, at that time managed by the Francis Perkins Center.
Today the monument includes the home of Francis Perkins and a few other structures located along the Damariscotta River.
Who was Francis Perkins?
We didn’t know much about Francis Perkins when we visited her home. Before that, if someone had referred to “the woman behind the New Deal”, we would have thought they were talking about Eleanor Roosevelt. But now we know, it was Francis Perkins.
It turns out that she was a pioneer, becoming the first woman to be part of a presidential cabinet and acting as the Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, serving the entire time that Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office.
In fact, many of the programs she put together were fundamental parts of the New Deal – social security, minimum wage and a 40 hour work week.
The Frances Perkins National Monument celebrates her achievements and provides an insight into her life, always working to improve the life of ordinary people with more equitable working conditions, starting from her days as a social worker.
Her story is so interesting, you should allow yourself at least an hour and a half to visit the house and grounds.
And, while you are in Maine, you won’t want to miss the world famous Lobster Rolls. (Every stand claims to be the world’s best!)
Want to talk?
If you have questions about this or any national park unit, we’d love to chat. You can contact us from this page or call (480) 609-3978. We are happy to help and love to talk with other folks who love our national parks.
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