The Joel Lane Museum is the birthplace of the capital of North Carolina. Joel Lane, the ?Father of Raleigh,? sold 1,000 acres of land to the state of North Carolina in 1792 in order to build the state?s permanent capital city. Lane?s residence from the 1770?s has been fully restored and is furnished with artifacts from the period of his life. Deemed as ?The Best House for 100 Miles,? it has also won several citations including an Honorable Mention for 2010 Metro Bravo Award for Best Historic Site. Its collection consists of many objects from the 18th century, including locally-made furniture.

The Museum site includes a "Kitchen, " actually a middle-class home, which dates from about 1790 and contains cookware and cloth making apparatus from the 19th century. The Visitors Center dates from about 1840 and houses the Museum Shop and offices.