Harmony Hall
Harmony Hall
4.5
About
Harmony Hall is the only house of historical significance left standing in Kinston, North Carolina. The site was built in 1772 by Jesse Cobb and his wife, Elizabeth Heritage Cobb, and has served as a residence to prominent historical figures of Lenoir County. Harmony Hall housed the offices of James Glasgow, Secretary of State, until 1781. The State Board of War and other official meetings were held there at this time. During the Revolutionary period, it was owned by Richard Caswell, First Governor of North Carolina after Independence was gained from Great Britain. The house was also the site of a Civil War Hospital, Church Annex, Public Library, and Women's Club building. The house was remodeled around 1790, again in 1835 and the most recent restoration was completed in 1984. The restored house features a large reception room, called the great room, at the center of the first floor with open fireplaces at each end.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingFull view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
79 within 3 miles
Attractions
30 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
10 reviews
Excellent
6
Very good
2
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Abigail D
Kinston, North Carolina, United States6 contributions
Sep 2014 • Family
Harmony Hall is the only house of historical significance left standing in Kinston, North Carolina.
The site was built in 1772 by Jesse Cobb and his wife, Elizabeth Heritage Cobb, and has served as a residence to prominent historical figures of Lenoir County.
Harmony Hall housed the offices of James Glasgow, Secretary of State, until 1781. The State Board of War and other official meetings were held there at this time.
During the Revolutionary period, it was owned by Richard Caswell, First Governor of North Carolina after Independence was gained from Great Britain.
The house was also the site of a Civil War Hospital, Church Annex, Public Library, and Women's Club building.
The house was remodeled around 1790, again in 1835 and the most recent restoration was completed in 1984.
The restored house features a large reception room, called the great room, at the center of the first floor with open fireplaces at each end. The great room is the actual size of the original dwelling built in 1772. This area was enlarged by the addition of wings and rooms in later years.
Additions included the ladies parlor, which is furnished with 19th century furnishings reflecting the Victorian era, The dining room is located in the east wing, with a kitchen adjacent to it to accommodate guests. A study occupies the rear of the house.
A children's bedroom, the master bedroom, and a museum room which houses an extensive doll collection is located upstairs.
The site was built in 1772 by Jesse Cobb and his wife, Elizabeth Heritage Cobb, and has served as a residence to prominent historical figures of Lenoir County.
Harmony Hall housed the offices of James Glasgow, Secretary of State, until 1781. The State Board of War and other official meetings were held there at this time.
During the Revolutionary period, it was owned by Richard Caswell, First Governor of North Carolina after Independence was gained from Great Britain.
The house was also the site of a Civil War Hospital, Church Annex, Public Library, and Women's Club building.
The house was remodeled around 1790, again in 1835 and the most recent restoration was completed in 1984.
The restored house features a large reception room, called the great room, at the center of the first floor with open fireplaces at each end. The great room is the actual size of the original dwelling built in 1772. This area was enlarged by the addition of wings and rooms in later years.
Additions included the ladies parlor, which is furnished with 19th century furnishings reflecting the Victorian era, The dining room is located in the east wing, with a kitchen adjacent to it to accommodate guests. A study occupies the rear of the house.
A children's bedroom, the master bedroom, and a museum room which houses an extensive doll collection is located upstairs.
Written November 4, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dewayne P
Elizabethtown, KY1,985 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
Free parking on site. I stopped by the Visitor's Center and was given the opportunity to see inside the house. It has everything from history to ghosts, and a must-see for anyone visiting this town.
Written June 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChrisRaleigh_NC
Raleigh, NC11 contributions
Feb 2019 • Couples
We came to Kinston with another couple for the weekend and enjoyed doing this on Saturday morning. There is a lot of history here and do not miss the one room school house in back. If you like old homes and history this is definitely worth going too..
Written February 22, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ann612
Raleigh, NC8 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
We arrived at 10:15 am on Wednesday, October 5, within the hours that the sign on the porch and their web site said it was open. But it was locked, with no sign of life anywhere around. It is run by volunteers. There is a phone number to call on their web site, but we didn't have access to this at the time. We looked at the attractive grounds over the fence and peeked in the windows. From this and the reviews and web site, it looked interesting. We left Kinston greatly disappointed, since we found most attractions in town were not open on weekdays.
Written October 5, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donna T
21 contributions
Sep 2018 • Solo
Harmony Hall is a beautiful landmark in downtown Kinston. Inside you'll find antique and some reproduction furnishings. If you're interested in doll collecting, there is a collection upstairs you'll enjoy. The docent was very knowledgeable of the history of the home. The site is manned entirely by volunteers.
Written September 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
judywhite2018
Kinston, NC10 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
This house has a 18th century feel with it furnishings. It has a beautiful flower garden. Great place for a small outdoor wedding or intimate indoor event
Written June 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margie P
Goldsboro, NC119 contributions
Feb 2018 • Family
Several note worthy citizens of Kinston lived in this house including North Carolina’s first elected governor. We were greeted with a tour guide of the house and what was most notable was the fact that one of the owners, John Pebbles and his family were forced to leave their house during the Civil War. The house was then used as a hospital. When he returned he was financially ruined and killed himself in one of the rooms upstairs.
Written February 17, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WadeS
Winston Salem, NC199 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
A beautiful home with impressive history. We did not realize that is was used to house our state records and meetings by our first governor during the Revolutionary War. The house features 18th and 19th century furnishings. It is a hidden gem here in Kinston, NC.
Written February 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Warren C
Kinston, NC16 contributions
Dec 2016 • Couples
Visited during December when it was decorated for Christmas an it was really beautiful. Period furniture, décor...One of the first homes built in Kinston.
Written August 8, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hartsellj
Salisbury, NC142 contributions
Feb 2017 • Couples
A really nice piece of history conveniently located for the visitor. A very pleasant docent that provided an insight as to the historical importance during the Civil war . A good place to visit for history buffs.
Written February 27, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing