Frances Perkins National Monument

Frances Perkins Center is the official interpretive and philanthropic partner with the National Park Service to support projects and programs at the monument site.

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Frances Perkins

Perkins was known for her resilient spirit and enduring impact.

She formulated policies and programs that bolstered the economy and helped working people across the country such as Social Security, a minimum wage, and 40-hour work week, while serving as Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1945.

She became one of FDR’s closest and most highly regarded advisors and was one of only two cabinet secretaries to serve the entire length of his presidency.

In the early 1900s, she began her career as a social worker, advocating for better living conditions for the poor and unemployed and working to prevent the exploitation of women and children in factories.

She was a pioneering advocate for social justice, economic security, labor rights, and other contemporary policy issues.

Perkins was a trailblazing woman whose legacy continues to improve the lives of Americans today.

Protecting Her Legacy

The ancestral home and place of respite and inspiration for Frances Perkins is located on 57 acres of picturesque woods and fields along the serene Damariscotta River in Newcastle.

The Frances Perkins National Monument is the only place fully dedicated to telling the story of this remarkable national icon. The 1837 Brick House and accompanying 57 acres were designated a National Historic Landmark in 2014.

At the Frances Perkins National Monument, visitors are invited to step into the shoes of a trailblazer who, despite humble beginnings, broke through gender barriers to improve the lives of working people across the country.

The National Monument offers a chance to learn about her enduring significance: it was the place and the people there that served as her earliest inspiration for work devoted to the betterment of society.

Surrounded by natural beauty with scenic walking trails and views of the river, the property also offers a glimpse into Perkins’ private retreats to the place she returned to year after year to rest and rejuvenate before resuming her tireless work in Washington, DC.

Frances Perkins Center

The experts at the Frances Perkins Center are dedicated to highlighting Perkins’ achievements, telling the story of that work and relating it to American life today.

The Center purchased the property from Frances Perkins’ family in 2020 and is honored to donate it to the National Park Service to finally provide Frances Perkins with the recognition she earned as a national leader. The Center is the official interpretive and philanthropic partner with the National Park Service to help support projects and programs at the site.