Joel Lane House
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lane, Joel, House | |
|---|---|
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Architect: | Unknown |
| Architectural style(s): | No Style Listed |
| Added to NRHP: | July 28, 1970 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 70000472 |
| Governing body: | Private |
The Joel Lane House, built between 1760 and 1770, is a historic restored home and museum located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is the oldest dwelling in Raleigh and contains collections of 18th century artifacts and period furnishings. [2] The museum grounds include a detached kitchen, formal city garden, and period herb garden. The house is named after Joel Lane, the "Father of Raleigh"[3] and "Father of Wake County." [4][5]
In the late 1760s, Lane began to build a home at Bloomsbury, a crossroads located in colonial Johnston County. The property was named "Wakefield" in honor of Margaret Wake, wife of colonial Governor William Tryon. Lane and his house played a key role in North Carolina’s transition from colony to state and in the establishment of Raleigh as the state capital. Wakefield stood on a small hill, overlooking the future site of Raleigh. Lane owned thousands of acres, which enabled him to be influential in politics.
Lane was a member of the colonial General Assembly, and in 1770 successfully lobbied to create Wake County, at the time a sparsely settled wilderness. In 1791, Wake County's first county court is believed to have convened at Wakefield. Lane was appointed a member of the court, a position he held until his death. During the Revolutionary War, Wakefield was the site of important government meetings, both formal and informal. In 1776, Lane hosted the colony Council of Safety; the following year, he obtained a license for a small inn. From May to June 1781, Lane’s property was the setting for a session of the state General Assembly. Lane served in the state Senate in 11 of the 14 sessions from 1782 to 1794. He was also a delegate to the 1789 convention in Halifax that ratified the United States Constitution.
Lane was directly involved in the decision to locate the permanent capital of the state in Wake County. In 1792, the legislature authorized the purchase of a thousand acres of his land upon which to establish the city of “Raleigh” as the new center of state government. The community’s western boundary was drawn just east of Lane’s house, and a street of the city was named in his honor. After Lane’s death in 1795, Wakefield served several owners before being purchased by businessman William Boylan in 1818. The house, along with Montfort Hall, remained in the Boylan family until 1909. During this time, the city of Raleigh absorbed the house into its expanding boundaries. Lane’s former plantation lands became the site of new streets, homes and businesses. In 1927, Wakefield was purchased by the National Society of Colonial Dames of America and moved a short distance to ensure its preservation. The organization continues to operate this Raleigh Historic Landmark as a house museum.[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- ^ Raleigh's Official Tourism Site - Travel info for your Raleigh excursion
- ^ Welcome to the Joel Lane Museum House
- ^ Northcarolina
- ^ Joel Lane Museum House
- ^ Joel Lane House- Raleigh: A Capital City: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary
[edit] External Links
- Official website
- National Society of Colonial Dames of America
- National Registry of The Joel Lane House
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