Somerset Place Creswell NC | Historic Albemarle Highway

Following the conclusion of the Civil War, Somerset Place embarked on a transformative new chapter. By the close of 1865, almost all the emancipated black families departed from the plantation. The financially devastated owners ultimately sold the property and vacated, never to return. Although the plantation continued to operate until 1945, it was unable to generate profit without the labor of enslaved individuals. Today, this distinctive historic site stands as one of only two plantations in North Carolina preserved as state historic sites, welcoming visitors from afar.

Somerset Place Historic Site is a fascinating glimpse into the past, located in Creswell, North Carolina. This site was once one of the largest plantations in the South, covering more than 100,000 acres. Established in the late 18th century, it operated for over 80 years, relying on a large enslaved African-American population for its labor-intensive rice, corn, and wheat production. Today, Somerset Place offers a comprehensive and honest view of the plantation's history, including the lives of the enslaved people, making it a vital educational resource and a poignant reminder of America's complex history.

Somerset Place provides a detailed and authentic glimpse into 19th-century life on a vast North Carolina plantation. This distinctive plantation originally encompassed over 100,000 acres of densely wooded, predominantly swampy land adjacent to the five-by-eight mile expanse of Lake Phelps, located in what is now Washington County. Over its 80 years of operation as a plantation (1785-1865), countless acres were transformed into productive fields growing rice, corn, oats, wheat, beans, peas, and flax; advanced sawmills produced thousands of feet of lumber. By 1865, Somerset Place had emerged as one of the largest plantations in the Upper South.

The Hands-on Educational Program aims to illustrate the changing nature of laws, behaviors, societal beliefs, and technology, along with their impacts on individuals and communities. It begins with an interactive orientation about the plantation's history and a guided tour by costumed interpreters. Students then participate in activities that reveal how families of all backgrounds managed domestic tasks, culminating in the creation of an item using 19th-century techniques.

Rope Making
Hearth Cooking
Candle Dipping
Sage Brooms
Baskets
Measuring Tree Height
Butter Making

Somerset Place
2572 Lake Shore Road
Creswell, N.C. 27928

Contact
252-379-6020
somerset@dncr.nc.gov

Directions and Special GPS Notice

Many visitors report trouble using GPS navigation when driving here. We suggest taking exit 558 from highway U.S. Route 64. Then follow the brown signs to Somerset Place. Lat: 35.789148/Long:-76.403627 / 2572 Lake Shore Road / Creswell, NC / 27928

From U.S. 64, follow the brown signs directing you to Somerset Place, leading into downtown Creswell. Take a left onto Main Street (which transitions into Spruill’s Bridge Road) and continue for approximately 2 miles. Next, make a right onto Thirty Foot Canal Road. Travel for about four miles, then take a left onto Mail Route Road. After around one-half mile, turn right onto Park Road. At the end of the paved road, take a right onto Lake Shore Road and park in the parking lot marked by our large entrance sign. For buses, please follow the Bus Parking signs to the designated bus parking area. For accessible parking, continue straight from Park Road onto the gravel carriage trail and park at the end of the trail near the brick walkway.