Historic Stagville

05/29/2026

Weekday morning tours are back for the summer season! Starting Tuesday, June 2, Historic Stagville will offer guided tours at 11 am and 1 pm on weekdays. A 3 pm tour will no longer be available weekdays, but will still be offered every Saturday. All these guided tours are open to walk-in visitors with no reservation required.

05/27/2026

"...we were watching,
as it were, by the dim lights of the stars,
for the dawn of a new day;
we were longing for the answer to the agonizing prayers of centuries...”

Emancipation Tours start one week from today. Each Wednesday in June, join a special tour about emancipation and the transition to freedom at Stagville. Tours begin at 10 am and are $10 per person. Space is limited - call or register on our event page to reserve: https://events.dncr.nc.gov/event/emancipation-tours-historic-stagville

05/26/2026

Registration is now open for a Juneteenth Art Quilt workshop at Historic Stagville, led by artist Kimberly Cartwright.

In this hand sewing workshop, use your own fabric stash to make an 8x10 art quilt, inspired by the history, landscapes, and textures of Stagville. The workshop fee is a suggested donation of at least $10 to the Historic Stagville Foundation.

Space is limited! Register online at: https://events.dncr.nc.gov/event/juneteenth-art-quilt-workshop-historic-stagville

05/23/2026

Stagville summer events start soon!

Emancipation tours ($10 per person) run at 10 am each Wednesday in June. Discover the in-depth history of the transition to freedom at Stagville in this special tour.

On Friday, June 19, Stagville's Juneteenth tours (free) invite you to bear witness to the stories of emancipation with a visit and tour on Juneteenth.

On Saturday, June 20, Stagvile will host an intimate Juneteenth Art Quilt Workshop with artist Kimberley Cartwright. Preregistration required.

For July 4, join us at 10 am for the Frederick Douglass Community Reading - an iconic abolitionist speech, read aloud by community members for the 250th.

05/22/2026

Both front sections of the Hart House roof have been fully replaced. This plain metal roof matches what was documented in photographs from 1976. Craftsmen continue with siding and window repairs.

Built as a slave quarter, the Hart House was home to multiple generations of the Hart family. The Hart family are descendants of enslaved ancestors Ephraim, Nelly, and Cy Hart. The Hart family renovated this house in the early 20th century when they lived here as tenants and sharecroppers.

05/22/2026

Attention educators! Thomas Day State Historic Site invites K-12 educators to join us for a half-day professional development workshop that explores the roles of local history and primary sources in shaping meaningful instruction, with a focused look at Caswell County's school desegregation story.

Through a blend of hands-on research and discussion, participants will learn how to discover, analyze, and teach with local primary sources to help students connect national history to their own communities. This session is completely free of charge, and catered lunch is provided at no additional cost. Participants may recieve .45 CEU credits.

This opportunity will be taking place on Friday, July 24th, at Thomas Day State Historic Site (148 NC-57, Milton, NC 27305) from 10:00am to 2:30pm.

While this workshop is designed for K-12 classroom teachers, educators (current or former) of any kind are encouraged to register.

Please complete the form to register: https://forms.gle/eLbAryWhQym3vpig7
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05/19/2026

Bear witness to where history happened. On Friday, June 19th, Historic Stagville will offer free Juneteenth tours in recognition of the holiday. Over 900 enslaved people were emancipated at Stagville in 1865. Discover their stories of love, danger, and hope in the first days of freedom.

Tours run each half-hour from 9 am to 2 pm, and are first-come, first-served. All are welcome!

05/14/2026

Registration is open now for Emancipation Tours at Historic Stagville! We invite you to an in-depth guided tour exploring the history of emancipation and the long struggle for freedom at Stagville. Emancipation Tours depart from the visitors center at 10 am every Wednesday in June.

Tours are $10 plus tax per person. Proceeds support preservation and education at Stagville. Reservations are recommended as space is limited: events.dncr.nc.gov/historic-stagville

05/12/2026

Join the Historic Stagville Foundation this Saturday, May 16, for a casual concert and social hour downtown! Hear the latest updates about Historic Stagville, donate, and learn more about how you can support Historic Stagville's mission. Learn more at: https://form-usa.keela.co/amp-it-up-for-stagville

Join the Historic Stagville Foundation on Saturday, May 16 for an afternoon of music, community, and giving back! Amped for Stagville is a donation-based benefit concert featuring Durham’s own Vertigo Conspiracy performing live. RSVP now for this casual concert in support of Historic Stagville: https://form-usa.keela.co/amp-it-up-for-stagville
📍 Bull McCabe's Pub
427 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701

05/10/2026

Save the dates for summer at Stagville!
Due to upcoming major construction, our summer programming is more limited. Join us at 10 am each Wednesday in June for Emancipation tours. On Juneteenth weekend, we will offer a full Friday of free Juneteenth tours, followed by an Juneteenth art quilt workshop with artist Kimberley Cartwright. On July 4, we welcome all for our annual Community Reading of an iconic abolitionist speech, Douglass' "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"

More information about Historic Stagville's events is available at: https://events.dncr.nc.gov/historic-stagville

05/08/2026

Weekday visitors may see craftsman at work on the Hart House repairs. A roof replacement, siding repairs, exterior paint, and window repairs are all underway now. This historic house was a former slave dwelling, renovated by 20th century sharecroppers and tenants. The house is named for the Hart family, descendants of Ephraim and Nelly and multi-generational residents of this house. Thank you to the Historic Stagville Foundation for their funding for this important project!