Step Into the World of Eliza Carter, Poet, Educator, Visionary.
Carter Heritage House is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the historic 1854 home of Eliza Carter, a poet, educator, and early advocate for women’s education.
Step Into the World of Eliza Carter, Poet, Educator, Visionary.
Carter Heritage House is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the historic 1854 home of Eliza Carter, a poet, educator, and early advocate for women’s education.
The Origin
Set among rolling hills and old sugar maples in Maplewood, Vermont, the Carter Heritage House has stood since 1853, its red brick walls and white trim glowing softly in the afternoon light. Once home to Eliza Carter (1821–1873) — poet, essayist, and early advocate for women’s education — the house remains much as it was in her lifetime, a quiet witness to a world in transformation.
A Lively Literary Community
Within these rooms, Eliza gathered teachers, writers, and reformers who believed that language could move hearts and that education could change lives. Her journals and letters reveal a woman both gentle and resolute — devoted to learning, justice, and the flowering of young minds.
Preservation
Restored in 1968 by the Maplewood Historical Society, the house preserves the warmth and craftsmanship of mid-19th-century Vermont life. Visitors can step into Eliza’s study, linger in the parlor where poetry once filled the air, and wander through the garden paths that inspired her verse.
Preservation
Restored in 1968 by the Maplewood Historical Society, the house preserves the warmth and craftsmanship of mid-19th-century Vermont life. Visitors can step into Eliza’s study, linger in the parlor where poetry once filled the air, and wander through the garden paths that inspired her verse.
The Origin
Set among rolling hills and old sugar maples in Maplewood, Vermont, the Carter Heritage House has stood since 1853, its red brick walls and white trim glowing softly in the afternoon light. Once home to Eliza Carter (1821–1873) — poet, essayist, and early advocate for women’s education — the house remains much as it was in her lifetime, a quiet witness to a world in transformation.
A Lively Literary Community
Within these rooms, Eliza gathered teachers, writers, and reformers who believed that language could move hearts and that education could change lives. Her journals and letters reveal a woman both gentle and resolute — devoted to learning, justice, and the flowering of young minds.
Preservation
Restored in 1968 by the Maplewood Historical Society, the house preserves the warmth and craftsmanship of mid-19th-century Vermont life. Visitors can step into Eliza’s study, linger in the parlor where poetry once filled the air, and wander through the garden paths that inspired her verse.
Want to explore Eliza's legacy in person?
Our museum is free of charge and open to the public between Thursdays and Sundays, 10 am - 5 pm. Please view the Visit page for more information on guided tours, event scheduling and other resources.
Exhibits & Collections
Exhibits & Collections
"To inhabit a house is to engage in quiet debate with all who have lived before."
-Eliza Carter
"To inhabit a house is to engage in quiet debate with all who have lived before."
-Eliza Carter
Latest Events
Latest Events
Letters That Speak: A Night of Dramatic Readings
Letters That Speak: A Night of Dramatic Readings
November 13, 2025
November 13, 2025
Actors and local historians give voice to excerpts from Eliza’s journals, letters, and essays — revealing the wit, sorrow, and steadfast conviction of a woman who believed in the moral power of the written word. Candlelight and piano interludes accompany the evening.
A Winter of Quiet Work: Writing Retreat at the Carter House
A Winter of Quiet Work: Writing Retreat at the Carter House
November 13, 2025
November 13, 2025
In honor of Eliza’s devotion to daily craft, the Museum opens its doors for a weekend retreat of reading, reflection, and writing by the hearth. Participants will stay in nearby inns, gather each morning in the parlor for tea and writing prompts, and end each evening with readings by lamplight.
Register for the event here.
Music & Memory: An Afternoon at the Carter House
November 13, 2025
Blending history with performance, this outdoor concert celebrates the parlor music of Eliza Carter’s generation — waltzes, hymns, and folk ballads once played on family pianos across Vermont. Visitors can bring picnic blankets, enjoy local pastries and lemonade, and listen as musicians perform on period instruments. Between sets, short readings from Eliza’s essays illuminate how music shaped her vision of harmony, both artistic and moral.
Letters That Speak: A Night of Dramatic Readings
November 13, 2025
Actors and local historians give voice to excerpts from Eliza’s journals, letters, and essays — revealing the wit, sorrow, and steadfast conviction of a woman who believed in the moral power of the written word. Candlelight and piano interludes accompany the evening.