Joel Lane House

The Joel Lane House is a colonial residence built in 1769 and the oldest standing residential building in Wake County, now operating as a museum. It contains furnishings, tools, and household goods from the 18th century arranged throughout its original rooms.

Built in 1769, the house served as a meeting place for North Carolina's state assembly during the Revolutionary War in 1781. It has survived more than 250 years as one of the few structures from the area's earliest settlement period.

The house displays how people lived in the 18th century, with original furniture, tools, and household items that reveal daily routines and family life from that era. Walking through the rooms gives a sense of what ordinary homes looked like before modern conveniences.

The house is accessible through guided tours offered on specific weekdays and weekends. Visitors should check in advance for tour schedules, as times vary throughout the week.

The 2019 restoration uncovered 26 different paint layers on the exterior, revealing how many times the building was repainted over the centuries. This discovery allowed the house to be restored to its original colonial color.

Location: North Carolina

Inception: 1769

GPS coordinates: 35.77775,-78.65084

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:47