Welcome to Somerset Place

Welcome to Somerset Place State Historic Site! Somerset Place is a part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Office of Archives and History. It is our aim to offer visitors a comprehensive social history exploring the life of all former plantation residents: the enslaved community, hired employees, and owners. The purpose of this self-guided tour is to give you an understanding of the historical function of the structures on site and the people who lived and/or worked in them. Before you get started, check out our main entry page for background information about the history of our site. Although the coordinates for this introductory stop are located in our main parking lot, there are also welcome signs at the bus parking lot and along the Pettigrew State Park trail. This introduction covers all three entrance points, but you can adapt the tour route as needed depending on your point of entry. If you have any questions while taking this self-guided tour, send us an email at somerset@ncdcr.gov and we will get back with you as soon as possible.

Welcome to Somerset Place State Historic Site! Somerset Place was one of the largest plantations in antebellum North Carolina. From 1785 to 1865, over 861 enslaved persons, two free Black employees, and more than 50 white employees lived and worked on the plantation under three generations of the Collins family. Today, as part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, we interpret a comprehensive social history of all the plantation’s residents. On this self-guided tour, you’ll learn about the historical functions of the buildings on site and the people who once occupied those spaces. Before you get started, we encourage you to read our main entry page here on Clio to get background information about the site’s history. We also recognize that you may have entered the site from either our main parking lot, the bus parking lot, or the Pettigrew State Park trail. This introduction covers all three entrance points, but you can adapt the tour route as needed depending on your point of entry. Each tour stop has written and audio descriptions, along with photos and, in most cases, a link to our website and a corresponding YouTube video for more information. Lastly, if you have any questions while taking this self-guided tour, send us an email to somerset@ncdcr.gov and we will get back with you as soon as possible. Thanks for visiting with us, and we hope you enjoy your tour!

Self-Guided Tour Brochure, Somerset Place State Historic Site.