Harmony Hall (Kinston, North Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Peebles House
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Harmony Hall, 2013
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 109 E. King Street Kinston, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1772 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Georgian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000603 |
| Added to NRHP | August 26, 1971 |
Harmony Hall, also known as the Peebles House, is a very old and important building in Kinston, North Carolina. It was built in the 1700s and is the oldest house in Kinston. This house was once owned by North Carolina's first elected governor. During the Revolutionary War, it even served as a sort of state capitol.
Over the years, Harmony Hall has been changed and updated. It started with Georgian and Federal styles, then later got Greek Revival features. A cool part of the house is its two-story porch on the front. Harmony Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Today, it is a museum run by the Lenoir County Historical Association.
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History of Harmony Hall
Harmony Hall was built on land that Elizabeth Herritage received from her father, William Herritage. William had convinced the North Carolina government to build the new town of Kingston (now Kinston) on his land. Elizabeth and her husband, Captain Jesse Cobb, started building their home in 1772. By 1776, the house was finished.
That same year, Jesse Cobb left to fight in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge. When he came home, Elizabeth had given birth to their son, John. Later, Jesse left again to fight in the war. He served with General George Washington in the Continental Army.
Harmony Hall During the Revolution
During the Revolutionary War, North Carolina's main government city, New Bern, was easy for the British navy to attack. So, North Carolina's first governor, Richard Caswell, moved the state government offices inland to Kinston. Governor Caswell lived at his own nearby home, Newington. Harmony Hall became the home of James Glasgow, who was North Carolina's first Secretary of State.
Because of this, Harmony Hall became the unofficial state capitol from 1777 to 1781. Many state records were kept there. Important government meetings, like those of the State Board of War, also happened at the house.
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After the war, Governor Caswell bought Harmony Hall from Jesse and Elizabeth Cobb. However, he continued to live at his Newington estate. In 1782, Caswell gave Harmony Hall to his 24-year-old son, Richard Jr. Richard Jr. was a successful businessman. In 1784, he left Charleston on a ship that was supposed to go to New Bern, but the ship was never seen again.
Richard Jr.'s younger brothers, John and Winston, lived in the home after him. They lived there until they passed away in the late 1790s. The house had its first big update during the 1790s.
Later Owners and Changes
Harmony Hall was later owned by Jesse Cobb, who was Jesse and Elizabeth's grandson. It was also owned by city leaders like Abner Pearce and John Henry Peebles. Peebles and his wife, Harriet Cobb, who was also a granddaughter of Jesse and Elizabeth, bought the house in 1845.
Before the Peebles bought it, two extra parts (wings) had been added to the house around 1830. The Peebles family made many changes to the house. They updated it in the Greek Revival style, which included making the roof lower and adding a fancy railing called a balustrade.
During the Civil War in 1862, the Peebles family had to leave Harmony Hall. The house was then used as a hospital for wounded soldiers. After the war, Harriet Peebles reopened the family's store. She managed it until about 1897.
After Harriet passed away in 1898, Harmony Hall had several different owners. In 1937, the Kinston Woman's Club took over the house. On August 26, 1971, Harmony Hall was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Around 1977, the Kinston Woman's Club gave Harmony Hall and its old furniture to the Lenoir County Historical Association (LCHA). The LCHA started a big project to fix up the house. They raised over $170,000, and the North Carolina government also gave them $50,000. The restoration of Harmony Hall was finished in 1985.
Today, Harmony Hall is still owned and cared for by the LCHA. It is the oldest building in Kinston. Some people say the house is haunted! You can visit the house Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can also rent it for special events. There is also an old one-room schoolhouse from the early 1900s on the property that you can visit. A historical sign in front of the house tells its story.
Architecture of Harmony Hall
When Harmony Hall was updated in the 1800s, many of its original Georgian and Federal style details were changed to the Greek Revival style. The house is a two-story building made of wood. It has single-story parts (wings) on its east and west sides. The house sits on a brick foundation and has a low, pyramid-shaped roof.
The original part of the house is three sections wide. The wings are one section wide. Two wooden columns hold up the two-story porch on the front of the house. This porch has a decorative railing. The main entrance has a seven-pane window above the door (a transom) and windows on the sides (sidelights). The second-floor porch door only has sidelights.
Each side of the original house has three sections and a brick chimney. The east and west sides of the wings have two sections and a chimney inside. The back of the building has three sections, a back entrance, and another chimney. A small porch at the back entrance connects the house to a separate kitchen building. The windows in the house are different sizes. The front of the original house has windows with nine panes on the top and nine on the bottom. The first floor of the wings has the same type of windows. The second floor of the wings has smaller windows with six panes on the top and six on the bottom.
See also
