Hope Plantation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hope Plantation
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Windsor, off NC 308, near Windsor, North Carolina |
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| Built | 1803 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000441 |
| Added to NRHP | April 17, 1970 |
Hope Plantation is a historic house built in 1803 near Windsor, North Carolina. It's a great example of the Federal style, which was popular in the early United States. The house was built by David Stone, who was an important person in North Carolina. He was a governor and even a United States senator.
The house shows off a special design called Palladian style, which is known for its balance and grand look. It has a beautiful front with a double porch and fancy railings. Inside, the rooms are very tall and impressive, filled with old furniture and art from that time.
By the 1960s, the house was in rough shape after being neglected for many years. But people from Bertie County and other parts of North Carolina came together to save it. They created a group called the Historic Hope Foundation, Inc. This group bought the house and worked hard to bring it back to life.
Contents
History of Hope Plantation
Early Land Owners
The land where Hope Plantation stands was once home to Native American groups. These included the Meherrin and Tuscarora tribes. They used the area for hunting, even though they didn't have permanent villages there.
In 1663, King Charles II of England gave a special paper, called a Charter, for the Carolinas. This was given to eight Lords Proprietor who helped him get his throne back. These Lords Proprietor then encouraged people from England and Virginia to move to the new land.
Around the 1720s, a family named Hobson received a large piece of land. It was about 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) near the Cashie River. Francis Hobson and his wife Elizabeth moved there from England. Elizabeth was from a place called Hope Parish.
How "Hope" Got Its Name
After Francis Hobson passed away, Elizabeth inherited the land in 1765. She then married Zedekiah Stone. The land became his, and he named it "Hope" to honor Elizabeth's hometown.
The elder Stones built a house and started their family. Archeologists have studied the remains of their house. They also looked for where the enslaved people who worked for them might have lived.
David Stone's Influence
David Stone, the son of Elizabeth and Zedekiah, was born in 1770. Even though his family had English roots, he grew up as an American patriot. His father even helped with the American Revolution.
In 1793, David Stone married Hannah Turner. Before their marriage, his father gave him the Hope land. David was very smart; he graduated at the top of his class from Princeton University. He read a lot and wrote letters to many important people, including Thomas Jefferson.
When David built his new house, he wanted it to be grand and based on European designs. The house looks almost exactly like a plan from a book called The British Architect, which David Stone owned.
Design of the House
Outside the House
The Palladian style was popular with American patriots, especially in the South. They liked its balanced and orderly look.
The Hope Mansion is built on tall brick supports, which creates a full "basement" level above the ground. Large stairs lead up to the main entrance. The front porch has two levels with detailed Chinese Chippendale railings. There are four chimneys and eight windows on the sides, making the house look balanced from front to back. The back of the house has a single-level porch with the same fancy railing design.
Near the main house, the kitchen has been rebuilt where the original one stood. The elegant dairy building has also been fixed up.
Inside the House
The inside of Hope Plantation is very special for its area. The main rooms used by David Stone and for entertaining guests are on the upper floor. The bedrooms, family sitting room, and dining room are on the entry level.
The central hallway is very grand. It stretches from the front doors all the way to the back, with an archway dividing it. The staircase is partly enclosed. Upstairs, there's a large landing that might have been used as an upper sitting room to catch cool breezes. This leads to the drawing room, which is big enough for a ball.
Also on this floor is David Stone's library. It once held about 1,400 books, which was a huge collection for that time! There are also smaller rooms that might have been for guests and are now shown as bedrooms. The best materials were used to build the house. Most of the wood was local pine, but letters show that marble and red stone were brought from New York for the fireplaces.
When David Stone passed away, a full list of his belongings was made. This list helped the Historic Hope Foundation furnish the house very accurately.
Other Buildings and Grounds
King-Bazemore House
On the property, you can also find the 1763 King-Bazemore House. This house is a great example of a simpler, local building style. It's one of the few remaining examples in North Carolina of a "hall and parlor" design from the mid-1700s. This home has also been restored and furnished based on a list of items owned by William King in 1778.
Outbuildings and Gardens
Other buildings on the site include a restored kitchen and the original dairy. There's also a smokehouse and other storage buildings. You can explore an herb garden and a kitchen garden.
The grounds cover 45 acres (about 18 hectares). The original property was much larger, nearly 1,000 acres (405 hectares). This land was worked by over 200 enslaved people. There's also a barn from around 1800 and places where archeologists have found old items. These areas are part of a walking trail.
Saving Hope Plantation
After David Stone's son sold the house in 1836, it was owned by many different people. For decades, it was not taken care of. In the 1960s, when people first thought about fixing it up, some state officials thought it was "hopeless."
But the people who loved Hope Plantation didn't give up! On February 2, 1965, the Historic Hope Foundation, Incorporated, was officially started. The foundation bought the house, and a big effort by local people began to restore it. By late summer of 1972, the restoration was finished.
Hope Plantation Today
The Historic Hope Foundation, Incorporated, manages Hope Plantation. They help keep the buildings open for the public to visit. The State of North Carolina also helps by appointing an administrator and a public tourism officer.
The foundation offers many educational programs. They also work with schools and universities. They host special events, like the Governor Stone Ball, to raise money for the plantation.
