Note: This site is now closed.
Overview: Located about 30 minutes north of Greensboro, Chinqua Penn Plantation once consisted of 22 acres of gardens, a short hiking trail, and one of North Carolina’s architectural treasures: the Chinqua Penn home. Built in the 1920s, the English-style house includes 27 rooms filled with antique furniture from around the globe. In its years of operation, the grounds were open Wednesday–Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.; wine tastings were also offered. (For historical context and any updated information, the former Chinqua Penn website was the best reference.)
Directions: When it was open, directions were provided on the Chinqua Penn website.
Observations & Ponderings: Chinqua Penn exemplified early 20th-century ideas about blending human development and nature. The English-style home brought the outdoors in through extensive use of natural stone and wood. Conversely, the surrounding landscape was shaped into a kind of parkland—complete with koi ponds and gardens. A roughly 1.7-mile walk through parkland, pasture, and woods allowed careful observers to spot a variety of birdlife (including wild turkeys, woodpeckers, and assorted songbirds) while brushing up on North Carolina tree identification. The Dan River Basin Association also featured information and imagery related to the walking trail and boardwalk.
Sense of Place 