Cupola House (Edenton, North Carolina) facts for kids
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Cupola House
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Cupola House
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 408 S. Broad St., Edenton, North Carolina |
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| Built | 1758 |
| Architect | Francis Corbin |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000889 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 15, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | April 15, 1970 |
The Cupola House is a really old and special house in Edenton, North Carolina. Today, it's a historic house museum where you can learn about the past.
It was built a long, long time ago, between 1756 and 1758. Scientists used a method called dendrochronology (studying tree rings) to figure out its exact age! This makes it the second oldest building in Edenton.
What makes the Cupola House super unique? It's the only building in the southern United States with a "jutt." A jutt means the second floor hangs out over the first floor. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1970 because it's so important to history.
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What Makes the Cupola House Special?
The Cupola House is a two-story building with a pointed roof. It has brick chimneys on the outside. Today, the house is covered with wooden boards. But some experts think it might have originally looked like stone! This is similar to how places like Mount Vernon look. The roof is made of wooden shingles.
Inside, the house has a central hallway with two main rooms on either side. This was a bit unusual for homes in colonial North Carolina. The most unique part of the house is its combination of a cupola and that overhanging second story. A cupola is a small, dome-shaped structure on top of the roof. The one on the Cupola House is shaped like an octagon and covered in wood that looks like stone.
Exploring the House: Inside and Out
When you step inside, you'll notice how fancy some parts of the house are. The staircase in the main hallway has beautiful carved flowers and decorations. The doors leading to the main rooms have special designs above them called pediments. Both the first and second floors have amazing fireplaces and detailed woodwork.
To get to the cupola, you go up a special "barrel stair" from the attic. It's a spiral staircase that looks like it's inside a giant wooden barrel!
Who Lived Here? A Look at Its Owners
The land where the Cupola House stands used to be much bigger. It even reached all the way to Edenton Bay! Over the years, many different merchants (people who bought and sold goods) owned the property. One of them was Richard Sanderson, who owned ships.
Then, in 1756, a man named Francis Corbin bought the land. He was an agent for a powerful person called the Earl of Granville. Francis Corbin was the one who built the Cupola House we see today.
Discover More Historic Places in Edenton
The Cupola House is just one of many amazing historic places you can visit in Edenton. If you enjoy history, you might also like to explore:
- The James Iredell House
- The Roanoke River Light (a lighthouse!)
- The Barker House
- The Chowan County Courthouse
- And St. Paul's Church
See also
