The Joel Lane House, also known as Wakefield, was built in 1769 and is now a restored historic home and museum in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is the oldest dwelling in Wake County and contains collections of 18th century artifacts and period furnishings. The museum grounds include a detached middle-class home built circa 1790, a formal city garden, and a period

herb garden The traditional kitchen garden, vegetable garden, also known as a potager (from the French ) or in Scotland a kailyaird, is a space separate from the rest of the residential garden – the ornamental plants and lawn areas. It is used for grow ...

. The house is named after Joel Lane, the "Father of Raleigh" and "Father of

Wake County Wake County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In the 2020 census, its population was 1,129,410, making it North Carolina's most-populous county. From July 2005 to July 2006, Wake County was the 9th-fastest growing county in the U ...

." In the late 1760s, Lane settled at Wake Cross Roads located in colonial Johnston County. Lane and his house played a key role in North Carolina's transition from

colony In modern parlance, a colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by the foreign colonizers, colonies remain separate from the administration of the original country of the colonizers, the '' metropolitan state'' ...

to state and in the establishment of Raleigh as the state capital. Joel Lane's plantation manor 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 A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

, and successfully lobbied to create Wake County in 1770, which was, at the time, a sparsely-settled wilderness. The county was named "Wake" in honor of Margaret Wake, wife of colonial Governor William Tryon. In 1771, Wake County's first county court is believed to have convened at his home. Lane was appointed a member of the court, a position he held until his death. During the Revolutionary War, Wake Cross Roads 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 Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

. 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 A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...

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 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, Lane's house 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 became the site of new streets, homes and businesses. In 1911, the house was moved a short distance. In 1927, Lane's house was purchased by the National Society of

Colonial Dames of America The Colonial Dames of America (CDA) is an American organization composed of women who are descended from an ancestor who lived in British America from 1607 to 1775, and was of service to the colonies by either holding public office, being in th ...

in the State of North Carolina to ensure its preservation. The organization continues to operate this Raleigh Historic Landmark as a house museum. In 2019, to celebrate the house's 250th anniversary, a restoration team removed 26 layers of paint in order to repair the damaged wood underneath. The house was then repainted to match its original color of garnet red.

Gallery

Joel Lane Museum House ncecho 256001.jpg Joel Lane Museum House.jpg Joel Lane House, 728 Hargatt Street, Raleigh, Wake County, NC HABS NC,92-RAL,2- (sheet 0 of 6).png Joel Lane House, 728 Hargatt Street, Raleigh, Wake County, NC HABS NC,92-RAL,2- (sheet 1 of 6).png Joel Lane House, 728 Hargatt Street, Raleigh, Wake County, NC HABS NC,92-RAL,2- (sheet 2 of 6).png Joel Lane House, 728 Hargatt Street, Raleigh, Wake County, NC HABS NC,92-RAL,2- (sheet 3 of 6).png Joel Lane House, 728 Hargatt Street, Raleigh, Wake County, NC HABS NC,92-RAL,2- (sheet 4 of 6).png Joel Lane House, 728 Hargatt Street, Raleigh, Wake County, NC HABS NC,92-RAL,2- (sheet 5 of 6).png Joel Lane House, 728 Hargatt Street, Raleigh, Wake County, NC HABS NC,92-RAL,2- (sheet 6 of 6).png

References

External links

Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lane, Joel, House Historic American Buildings Survey in North Carolina Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina Houses completed in 1769 Boylan family residences Lane family residences Georgian architecture in North Carolina Historic house museums in North Carolina Museums in Raleigh, North Carolina Houses in Raleigh, North Carolina National Society of the Colonial Dames of America National Register of Historic Places in Raleigh, North Carolina Plantation houses in North Carolina

Gallery

See also

References

External links