Mordecai Historic Park

Mordecai Historic Park is one of the most historically significant sites anywhere in Raleigh, NC — home to two genuinely notable pieces of American history in a single downtown park. The park’s centerpiece is the Mordecai House, an antebellum plantation home built in 1785 that is the oldest residence in Raleigh still on its original foundation. Just steps away, a preserved small cabin marks the birthplace of Andrew Johnson — the 17th President of the United States, born here on December 29, 1808.

The park is operated by the City of Raleigh and preserves a larger campus of relocated historic structures, along with its beautiful gardens, offering guided tours and educational programs throughout the year. Be sure to check out the YouTube video and pictures below to get a feel for Mordecai Historic Park before you go — or to relive the visit after.

The 1785 Mordecai House — Raleigh’s Oldest Residence

The Mordecai House was originally built in 1785 — before Raleigh itself was even founded as North Carolina’s state capital in 1792 — and remains the oldest residence in Raleigh still on its original foundation. The antebellum plantation home was owned by the Mordecai family, one of Raleigh’s founding families. The Federal-style architecture, period furnishings, and decorative artifacts have been carefully preserved across the home’s several rooms, giving visitors a genuinely intimate look at how one of the city’s earliest prominent families actually lived.

The house is accessible via guided tours that trace the history of the Mordecai family and the broader early-Raleigh community. The tours pair well with the City of Raleigh Museum, which tells the specific story of the city that grew up around families like the Mordecais.

The Birthplace of Andrew Johnson, 17th President of the United States

Alongside the Mordecai House, the park preserves a small cabin marking the birthplace of Andrew Johnson, born on December 29, 1808 — the future 17th President of the United States. Johnson assumed the presidency following Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, served through the Reconstruction era, and became the first American president to be impeached (though he was not removed from office). The preserved cabin itself is modest — a tangible reminder of the president’s humble Raleigh beginnings before he moved to Tennessee as a young tailor and began the political career that eventually took him to the White House.

The park also preserves several other relocated historic structures on the grounds — including St. Mark’s Chapel (1847), the Badger-Iredell Law Office (1810), and the Allen Kitchen (1842) — giving visitors a genuinely layered look at early Raleigh architecture and life across several decades of the city’s earliest development.

Good to Know

• Location: Downtown Raleigh, NC
• Operated by: City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation
• Mordecai House: Constructed 1785; Raleigh’s oldest residence still on its original foundation; formerly the home of the Mordecai family
• Presidential connection: Preserved birthplace of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States (born December 29, 1808)
• Other historic structures on-site: St. Mark’s Chapel (1847), the Badger-Iredell Law Office (1810), the Allen Kitchen (1842)
• Gardens: Beautiful landscaped gardens throughout the park grounds
• Guided tours: Available for the Mordecai House and the broader park; check the park’s website for current tour schedules
• Special programming: Educational programs, seasonal events, trolley tours through downtown Raleigh, and October Ghost Walks
• Weddings and private events: The grounds are available for private rentals and weddings
• Hours: Check the Mordecai Historic Park website for current hours and tour availability
• Best for: History enthusiasts, presidential history buffs, families with children, architecture enthusiasts, and visitors making a full downtown Raleigh museum day
• Pair with: A visit to the City of Raleigh Museum for more focused Raleigh-specific history, the North Carolina State Capitol, the North Carolina Museum of History (which houses the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame), the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, or the North Carolina Museum of Art

A Raleigh Highlight

Mordecai Historic Park is the kind of stop that stays with you for the sheer historical density. Standing on a single downtown Raleigh property, visitors can walk through Raleigh’s oldest surviving residence on its original foundation AND see the modest cabin where a future President of the United States was born — two genuinely notable pieces of American history contained in a single walkable park.

The layered relocation of additional historic structures rounds out the experience. Between the 1785 Mordecai House, the 1808 Andrew Johnson birthplace cabin, and the on-site St. Mark’s Chapel, Badger-Iredell Law Office, and Allen Kitchen, Mordecai offers visitors a genuinely comprehensive look at early Raleigh through preserved buildings spanning nearly six decades of the city’s founding era.

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Resources

Mordecai Historic Park Website

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Location

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