THINGS TO DO AT ROSEDALE
WELCOME TO HISTORIC ROSEDALE
We would love to have you come by for a house tour. And our 8.9 acres of urban green space contain lovely gardens and wooded areas for you to stroll and explore.
HOUSE
200 years of history in the heart of Charlotte
When Archibald Frew built his showcase house on North Tryon Street, he could have never known that almost 200 years later the house would be restored to his exacting standards. From the “Paris” yellow trim on the exterior to the faux painted panelling, from the hand carved fireplaces to the original French hand-blocked wallpaper, his grand plan survives.
While the house was lived in through the late 20th century, following restoration, it has been interpreted to the period in the 1800s, the plantation years. At its largest, the site covered 911 acres.
The generations of families, owners and enslaved, who lived and worked here, left a legacy of stories behind as testimony to their experiences here at Rosedale.
GARDENS
Historic Rosedale is a rare treasure located in a densely populated urban area of Charlotte, North Carolina. A beautiful two-hundred-year-old house sits on the remaining nine acres of the original nine hundred acres. Rosedale is an urban greenspace that brings together locals and out-of-town visitors as a sustainable part of a busy neighborhood.
Come take refuge and commune with nature and wildlife while learning about Rosedale’s historic past. Stroll through the Arboretum name for the late biologist from UNC Charlotte, Dr. Larry Mellichamp. Take time to behold the many different butterflies fluttering through the perennial borders or be seated under the pergola in the formal gardens while observing our local birds and habitat.
Here at Historic Rosedale, we are advocates of native plants, which are adapted to local environmental conditions. Once established, these plants require less water and do not need pesticides or fertilizers, allowing for a healthy ecosystem. Native plants also provide vital habitats and food for the local flora and fauna. We are proud to be an Advanced Certified Wildlife Habitat as designated by the National Wildlife Federation and a member of the Butterfly Highway, which is “a roadmap for pollinators & wildlife conservation.”
So come visit our jewel in the Queen’s City Crown. Help us in supporting our continuous efforts in keeping history alive through our interpretations of the gardens and grounds. It’s an enchanting place to visit all year around!
SMITHY
The blacksmith shop at Historic Rosedale is a recreation of the original and is on nearly the same spot. Blacksmithing was important to the success of the site. It provided iron work for their needs, and it generated income by taking commissions from folks throughout the area for their iron work, as well. Here at Historic Rosedale, there is a rich history of remarkable blacksmithing skills by the enslaved people.
