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My job sent me to a conference in North Carolina and I had half a day to explore the beautiful and historic downtown area of Raleigh. I have visited this state before, but I had never been to the capital so I was excited to set out and have some time to see the heart of the city.

Raleigh was a city that was specifically established and built to be a state capitol. Soon after the Revolutionary War, this city was created with the capitol building set in the center and the streets branching out from there.

Raleigh was named after Sir Walter Raleigh who sponsored the voyage of the Roanoke Company that established one of the first communities in the new world. Sir Walter Raleigh never stepped foot on the continent or saw the city that was built in his name.

Near the end of the American Civil War, Raleigh was overpowered by the Union forces but thankfully the city suffered no real damage from any battle. They would struggle to rebuild after the war due to their dependence on agricultural business but eventually found their way by establishing places for higher education. Today Raleigh is considered a thriving and exciting city.

I decided on a self guided walking tour from WalkNTour. I downloaded the app and paid the $6.50 for the Raleigh tour from the long list of US city tours available. The app gave me directions to the starting point and then guided me through the downtown area. I had never used this app before, but I really enjoyed the tour and how it gave good directions on where to go and great background information on the places seen on the way.

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City Market

My tour started at the City Market, a local favorite stop to shop and eat. The City Market was built in 1914 and was the first and premiere place for people to shop, at least until the arrival of supermarkets made business much slower for the home town stores.

The great open space that use to hold all the local stalls is now used for events and where smaller boutique shops have taken up the spaces around the outside. Any tour of the city always includes a stop at the City Market and it continues to be felt as a treasure of the city.

Briggs Hardware Building

The Briggs Hardware Building is an icon landmark here in Raleigh. Built in 1874 by Thomas Briggs to be the home of his family hardware store. This was considered to be the city’s first and tallest skyscraper and would remain the tallest for the next 33 years.

But there was a lot of questions as to how Briggs would have been able to afford such an investment. A rumor or legend started circulating that sometimes before the Union took over Raleigh, Briggs converted all of his confederate currency into gold and silver coins.

He hid the coins in a pipe then buried the pipe in a grove of trees to hide it from the Union troops. The troops had a camp right next to the grove of trees, but they never realized there was a buried treasure there. As soon as he could, Briggs went to reclaim the coins and used that money to buy the building.

The Briggs Hardware store was passed down through the generations until 1995 when the store finally moved to a different location. Since then groups of non-profit organizations have a joint ownership on the building. One of the organizations created the bottom floor to be the City of Raleigh Museum. The museum looks at the different aspects that have made this city what it is.

Two special exhibits were set up in the museum depicting very different chapters of history. The first exhibit was dedicated to the brave women who fought the system so women could have the right to vote. The second exhibit was all about America’s favorite pastime of baseball and the impact that it had on the city and the country. It was so interesting to see these aspects from Raleigh’s perspective.

Birthplace of President Andrew Johnson

Across the street from the Briggs Hardware Building is a stone marker standing in the spot that use to have the house where President Andrew Johnson was born. North Carolina claims three US presidents who were born here. But President Johnson was the only one to be born here in Raleigh.

The house was moved when the city was built up around it and now it can be seen in Mordecai Park. President Johnson was the 17th president, taking office after President Lincoln was assassinated.

North Carolina State Capitol

The city was built with the State Capitol Building purposefully at the center and all the roads lead to it. In front of the building is the presidents statue, with statues of the three presidents who were born in the state. On top of his horse sits Andrew Jackson who served from 1829-1837, on the left is James Polk who served from 1845-1849, and Andrew Johnson on the right who served from 1865-1869. North Carolina is very proud to have been the home of these presidents.

While Presidents Polk and Johnson were most certainly born in North Carolina, there is some debate on President Jackson on whether it was North or South Carolina where he was born.

Historians have not been able to determine if Jackson was born at home or on the way to a hospital which would clarify which state he was born in. But Tennessee also claims President Jackson as he spent his presidency and all the time afterwards at his home near Nashville called The Hermitage.

Visitors can go in and see the capitol building with the beautiful dome rising above the classic architecture. There are tours available or you can just wander through on your own.

Another area of the capitol building was the war memorial. Behind the statue was a line of American flags as they had a remembrance service here for Veteran’s day. It was a very moving depiction honoring those who have served. I read that they held the service on the eleventh day, at the eleventh hour to remember the moment of silence that marked when WWI ended.

The other side of the capitol building is another memorial, this one dedicated to all the different branches of the military. Each branch is represented with their flag while the figure of Lady Liberty stands above them holding a palm leaf symbolizing peace and success in their service.

State Museums & State Library of Archives

Raleigh boasts of having two great museums that face each other. The North Carolina Museum of History is a Smithsonian affiliate museum the different eras and items that are part of the larger history story of the state. Sadly, this museum is closed for renovation for the next few years.

Even though the museum is closed, visitors can still see the replica of the Liberty Bell outside. The original Liberty Bell hung above Independence Hall in Pennsylvania, but a series of replicas was created to help support the industrial businesses. And one of those replicas lives here in Raleigh.

The other museum is the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences which has multiple floors of the natural sciences from the different ecosystems from around the state. They have a large collection of whale skeletons giving you a small idea of what such massive creatures they are. Both museums are free to enjoy and both could easily take hours to go through.

While not a museum, the State Library is still a fascinating look at some of the state’s history. The archives here hold the records of hundreds of formerly enslaved people. Because there were so few records available before the Civil War, the amount of documentation here at the library is impressive and very important.

Historians have been able to better document the lives of slaves, including having a record of their spouses and children, and to then help people connect to family members.

Freedom Park

Near the heart of downtown is Freedom Park where the space is dedicated to the African American experience, history, and struggle for freedom. The walls are covered in quotes from prominent African Americans. In the center stands the Beacon of Freedom, a tall metal sculpture that depicts a flame. The flame is symbolic of a rising spirit fighting for freedom. It is a powerful place to reflect, remember, and honor the struggle of those denied the freedoms that others had.

Oakwood Historic District & the Governor’s Mansion

The last part of my tour around downtown was a walk through the beautiful historic district of Oakwood. This area is known for tree lined streets and charming houses full of architectural interest. Each house in this area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and with that comes some particular guidelines that they have to follow.

Because I have a great love of old houses and beautiful architecture, I could have easily wandered through this district for hours- especially with the last of the fall colors adorning the trees.

The jewel though of this beautiful district is that of the Governor’s Mansion. Even the term mansion seems not big and grand enough to describe this incredible building. Also known as the Executive Mansion, this has been the home of the city’s leading family since the city came to be. They have many holiday parties, concerts, and events if you are in this area during December.

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I really loved spending a few hours getting to know this beautiful area of Raleigh. From interesting history to beautiful architecture it made for a perfect day wandering through downtown. I wish I had more than just half a day because there is clearly so much more to see and do around the city. But for now, I’m glad to have had the time I did.

Thanks for coming along on this visit to Raleigh’s downtown. May you remember your history and your heroes and share that love with others.