Established in 2009, the Frances Perkins Center is a non-profit organization and the official philanthropic partner of the newly designated Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine.
A nationally recognized cultural institution, the Frances Perkins Center’s mission is to inspire current and future generations to understand and uphold the government’s role in providing social justice and economic security for all, guided by Frances Perkins’ effective leadership style and one woman’s power to change the world.
Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. She was Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) and was the driving force behind many of the New Deal policies we benefit from today, including the Social Security Act, fair labor standards, including the 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, and child labor laws.
The Frances Perkins National Monument is part of the National Park Service (NPS) and consists of the historic Perkins Homestead and fifty-seven acres of saltwater farmland. In 2026, the Frances Perkins Center will again partner with NPS to operate the monument. Visitors will be able to explore the Welcome Center and self-guided exhibit in the historic barn to learn more about Perkins, her life and legacy, and enjoy the easy trails leading down to the picturesque Damariscotta River.
The trails are open year-round from sunrise to sunset. The Welcome Center at the monument is open seasonally, June-October.
2026 days and hours TBD.
For the latest information visit our website www.francesperkinscenter.org
