Joel Lane built his home in the early 1770’s in what was a very rural part of North Carolina. He is called “The Father of Raleigh” because he facilitated the location of North Carolina’s capital city on his land in 1792. His faithfully-restored plantation manor was once deemed “The Best House for 100 Miles.” A visit to this important historic site will transport you back in time. The site includes Joel Lane's stately "plantation manor house," a circa 1790 middle class dwelling, and an 1840s school room or office used as the Visitors Center housing the museum shop and offices. The gardens feature a neo-colonial formal city garden and a formal herb garden.

Tours led by costumed docents are offered on the hour Wed. through Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and on Saturday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The last tour begins one hour before closing.

The museum buildings are not for rent, but the garden areas are. For infomation on Site Rental for your special event, download the relevant documents by clicking on links provided on the museum website.

The Joel Lane Museum House is closed from mid-December to March 1st except on Saturdays. The site is open for special events during this time and is open for group tours by appointment. The office and gift shop are often open even if the Museum is closed. Please call 919-833-3431.

The formal garden is situated behind Joel Lane’s home. It is not believed that Joel Lane possessed such a garden with its clipped hedges and brick parterres. Most likely, his back yard was a typical farm’s swept ground with chickens and other farm animals on the place. He certainly would have grown fruit trees like the pomegranates, grapes, figs, apples, and pear trees grown here.

The Joel Lane house was moved to its current site in 1912 and was purchased by the Colonial Dames in 1927. It was fully restored and furnished in the 1970s. Joel Lane Museum House, Inc. was established in 1972 as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit coporation run by a volunteer Board of Directors.