Fixing Frost's Farmhouse's Failing Foundation

In a February 1919 letter, Robert Frost's wife, Elinor, wrote to their daughter Lesley:

“We have had a long storm, and it hasn’t stopped snowing yet. It began with rain for a whole day and night, then it turned to snow, and has snowed for two days and nights. The snow is deeper than it has been all winter, I guess, and there is a lot of water in the cellar. Papa is afraid that if the snow melts suddenly, as it is very liable to do, the furnace will be flooded and spoiled. We have never had so much water in the cellar before.”

It seems there has always been a struggle against the constant influx of water in the crude dirt cellar, which has undermined the structure through the years. The effects from constant moisture have severely impacted the home. One section of the cellar’s stone wall even collapsed recently; this work is long overdue.

We are grateful to report that The Frost Place has received a $130,000 matching grant from New Hampshire’s Land Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP). We have begun our fundraising efforts to meet this match, which will allow us to replace the failing foundation in Robert Frost’s Franconia farmhouse. The Frost Place is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, and we cannot think of a better way to mark the occasion than to embark on this important preservation project!