Victory! President preserves the Frances Perkins Homestead in Maine as a national monument

In December 2024, President Joe Biden declared the Frances Perkins Homestead in Newcastle, Maine, a national monument, ensuring her story will live on as part of our nation’s heritage. It is only the thirteenth national park site in the country specifically created to interpret women’s history.

As Secretary of Labor under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt from 1933 to 1945, Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. A driving force behind the New Deal, she formulated policies and programs that bolstered the economy and helped working people across the country to live with safety and dignity.

Press Release

President Biden Designates Frances Perkins Homestead as New National Monument

“With the addition of Frances Perkins’ story, we now have 13 national park sites dedicated to the contributions of women and we know there is more work to be done.“…

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The protections Perkins secured for American workers are cornerstones of our society today, including Social Security, a minimum wage, unemployment insurance and a ban on child labor. She became one of President Roosevelt’s closest and most highly regarded advisors at a time when her leadership was desperately needed.

Among her many accomplishments, Perkins also helped Jewish children immigrate to the United States during the Holocaust, and she oversaw part of the Civilian Conservation Corps, one of several programs helping to put unemployed Americans back to work in our parks, during the Depression.

The Frances Perkins Homestead is the only place dedicated to telling the full story of this remarkable national icon. NPCA has partnered with the nonprofit Frances Perkins Center, which purchased the homestead in 2020 and managed public tours and led advocacy for the creation of the national monument. The site was donated by the Frances Perkins Center to the Park Service includes more than 50 acres of property along the Damariscotta River. The site includes Perkins’ historic home, family barn and miles of trails, all in great condition, thanks to recent repairs funded by private donors and grants.

NPCA joins the Frances Perkins Center in celebrating this national monument. Our country is measurably better thanks to the tireless work of Frances Perkins. The National Park Service will help more people learn about ways she’s improved the lives of all of us through her inspirational accomplishments by interpreting her legacy in perpetuity.