Mordecai Historic Park

Site Tours and Visitor Center

Visitor Center and Parking

Please begin your trip to Mordecai Historic Park at the Visitor Center. Guided tour tickets can be purchased here and visitors can find additional park information along with a gift shop, classroom, and exhibits. A permanent exhibit on the site’s history and a rotating exhibit are available to visitors for free at the Visitor Center.

Please Note: Public tours are not offered when field trip groups are on-site in the morning. Please call 919-996-4364 to check on tour availability.

The Visitor Center is located on the corner of Wake Forest Rd. and Cedar St. at 1101 Wake Forest Rd. Parking is available at 1 Mimosa St. as well as street parking along Cedar St. Signage is located throughout the park from the Mimosa St. parking lot to guide visitors to the Visitor Center. A short walk from the parking area which lines Mimosa Street. Please call 919-996-4364 if you have any questions or need any guidance.

Accessible parking spaces are available at the 1 Mimosa St. parking lot and next to the Mordecai Historic Park Visitor Center at 1101 Wake Forest Rd. The Visitor Center and the first floor of the Mordecai House are wheelchair, scooter, or Electric Conveyance Vehicle (ECV) accessible via ramps. Please call 919-996-4364 if you have any questions.

Admission

• Tickets for the guided tour may be purchased at the Visitor Center.
• Tours of the Mordecai House and outbuildings are offered at the top of the hour. Tours begin at 10 a.m. and the last tour begins at 3 p.m. Each tour is approximately 50 minutes.
• Pricing: Adults - $7, Senior - $4, Youth - $4. Children 6 and under are free.
• Public Tours are not offered when school groups are on site.
• Please call 919-996-4364 Tuesday – Sunday to check on tour availability.

Historic Structures and Landscape

• Mordecai House c. 1785/1826
• Smokehouse c. 1820s
• Plantation Office c. 1820s
• Recreated Ellen Mordecai Garden c. 1830s
• Allen Kitchen c. 1842
• Andrew Johnson Birthplace c. 1790s
• Federal Building c. 1840s
• Badger Iredell Law Office c. 1810
• St. Mark's Chapel c. 1847
• Bouchall-Danielson House c. 1922
• Mordecai Spring

Historical Information

• Mordecai Historic Park was once the site of the largest plantation in Wake County.
• The recreated 19th-century kitchen garden is based on the documentation left by Ellen Mordecai in her memoir and letters.
• Maintains a collection of more than 5,000 artifacts.
• Read about the Mordecai Plantation, the enslaved workers, and the family that lived in the Mordecai House from 1785-1964

Digital Discoveries

Check out Mordecai Historic Park's Digital Discoveries! You'll find fun activities, historic info, & even a printable board game. 

Stay tuned for more content for all ages on the way!

Programs and Events

Check out our calendar below for more information about programs and special events at Mordecai Historic Park, Borden Building at Fletcher Park, Tucker House, and the Historic Raleigh Trolley!

View the Historic Sites Programs and Special Events Calendar

School Field Trips

Admission

• School and educational tours are held on Tuesdays-Fridays, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• The maximum student capacity is 72 students per day for Option 1. Option 2, with the Historic Raleigh Trolley Tour program,m has a maximum capacity of 68 students per day.
• Mordecai offers two program package options, comprised of three 45-minute programs:
  • Option 1: Mordecai Historic Park Field Trip
    • Mordecai House and Artifact Program (inside the Mordecai House)
    • Slavery and Archaeology Program (on the park grounds and inside the Allen Kitchen)
    • Andrew Johnson and 19th Century Politics Program (inside the Andrew Johnson birthplace and St. Mark's Chapel. Both structures are located on-site)
    • Cost: FREE
  • Option 2: Mordecai Historic Park and Raleigh Trolley Field Trip
    • Mordecai House and Artifact Program (inside the Mordecai house)
    • Slavery and Archaeology Program (on the park grounds and inside the Allen Kitchen)
    • Historic Raleigh Trolley Tour Program (a guided trolley tour highlighting Raleigh's history)
    • Cost: $50 for the first trolley and $40 per additional trolley run

To request a field trip, please fill out the form at the following link or call the Mordecai Visitor Center at 919-996-4364, and we will reach out to confirm your visit as soon as possible: Mordecai Historic Park Education Program Interest Form

Mordecai House and Artifact Program

• Students will learn how daily life has changed over time and about how different families lived in early Raleigh.
• Students will use their reasoning skills to determine the use of artifacts found within the home.

Slavery and Archaeology Program

• Students will learn about the day-to-day lives and experiences of the enslaved people at Mordecai in the 19th century and how we uncover and tell their stories.
• Students get the chance to dig for artifacts on a mini-archeology dig.

19th Century Politics and Andrew Johnson Program

• Students tour the birthplace of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States.
• Students learn about Johnson’s early life in Raleigh while living in poverty and his term as President of the United States.
• Students learn about impeachment and have a chance to participate in their own impeachment trial.

Historic Raleigh Trolley Tours

• Students will step aboard the Historic Raleigh Trolley to learn about Raleigh and its past.
• Students will learn about the founding of Raleigh, see historic sites and landmarks throughout downtown, and learn about important historical figures that influenced Raleigh’s development and culture.
• Please note that the Historic Raleigh Trolley Tour program has a maximum capacity of 68 students per day.

Historic Raleigh Trolley

919-996-4364 | vanessa.jeter@raleighnc.gov 

Tours

• Trolley tours do not operate in January or February.
• Leaves from Mordecai Historic Park on Saturdays, March through December, at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.
• Enclosed and air-conditioned.
• Tours begin and end at Mordecai Historic Park and last approximately one hour.
• Admission: $10 adults, $6 youth (7-17), Free for children (6 years and under)
• For tickets, please go to RecLink to select a date/time under the ‘Tickets and Tours’ section or call (919) 996-4364. Tickets are available one month in advance online, over the phone, or at the Mordecai Visitor Center.
• Receipts are required to board the trolley. Receipts will be emailed to you when purchased online or over the phone. Printed receipts will also be accepted. If you need assistance or have any questions, please call (919) 996-4364.
• Rented charter tours are available year-round.
• More information on trolley tours,  rentals, and more

Accessibility

Parking: Accessible parking spaces are available at the 1 Mimosa St. parking lot as well as next to the Mordecai Historic Park Visitor Center at 1101 Wake Forest Rd.

Restrooms: Outdoor accessible restrooms are available at the comfort stations in the park (two red buildings located at the entrance of the park across from the Visitor Center; open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm). Indoor accessible restrooms are available in the Visitors Center (open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm).

Site Accessibility: The Visitor Center and the first floor of the Mordecai House are wheelchair, scooter, or Electric Conveyance Vehicle (ECV) accessible via ramps. Due to their historic nature, other buildings on the property and some areas where programs and events occur, have uneven surfaces and may not be fully accessible. Guided tours provide historic context for these buildings in the outdoor portion of the tour as well as photos of interior spaces.

Tours and Resources: All buildings other than the Visitor Center are only open to the public on guided tours or during special events. Guided tours are not offered when field trip groups are onsite in the morning. Please call 919-996-4364 to check on tour availability. A virtual tour, virtual exhibit, and other digital resources can be found online and two free exhibits are available in the Visitor Center along with a self-guided map if you prefer to explore the park on your own. Raleigh Parks Inclusion Services works with community members to support participation. To request a program modification based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please complete and submit the Accommodation Request Form or contact Inclusion Services staff at 919-996-2147 or ParksInclusion@raleighnc.gov.

Questions?

Contact Mordecai Staff at 919-996-4364 or email the Director of Historic Sites, Joshua Ingersoll, at joshua.ingersoll@raleighnc.gov.

Site Rentals

Request your rental online using RecLink or by reaching out to Vanessa Jeter at vanessa.jeter@raleighnc.gov.

Take note: Requests will be subject to staff approval. Upon approval, payment will be required to confirm the reservation. Your reservation is not finalized until you receive confirmation of your payment.

Visitor Center

• The Visitor Center (can include the exhibit gallery and classroom spaces).
• Visitor Center classroom space is available from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Exhibit Gallery is available from 4-11 p.m.
• Classroom (Weekdays): Residents - $75/hr, Non-residents - $125/hr.
• Classroom (Weekends): Resident - $100/hr, Non-residents $150/hr
• Exhibit Gallery w/ Classroom: Residents - $150/hr, Non-residents - $200/hr
• All rentals have a 2-hour minimum and a maximum of 8 hours. Please inquire for discounted pricing for rentals of 4 or more hours.
• Additional fees: $15 application fee, $250 refundable damage deposit fee, $100 alcohol permit fee (if applicable), $80 Visitor Center cleaning fee (if applicable)
• Please note: all music and alcohol service must end by 10 p.m. in all rented spaces. All people must vacate all rented spaces by 11 p.m. The time between 9:30 and 11 p.m. is meant to be used to clean up and gather all belongings.

Park Grounds

• Mordecai Historic Park grounds (includes St. Mark's Chapel, a small changing room, and the park grounds).
• St. Mark's Chapel and the park grounds are available from 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
• St. Mark's Chapel and park grounds: Residents - $150/hr, Non-residents, $200/hr (min - 2hrs, max 8hrs)
• Additional fees: $15 application fee, $100 refundable damage deposit fee, $100 alcohol permit fee (if applicable), $80 Visitor Center cleaning fee (if applicable)
• Please note: all music and alcohol service must end by 10 p.m. in all rented spaces. All people must vacate all rented spaces by 11 p.m. The time between 9:30 and 11 p.m. is meant to be used to clean up and gather all belongings.

Volunteers and Members

919-996-4364

Volunteers

• Docent Program – This program offers training in local and site-specific history. Volunteers then conduct guided tours of the Mordecai House and outbuildings
• School Field Trips – Almost 10,000 students visit Mordecai Historic Park every year. Join us in our mission to educate students about how life has changed over time
• Special Events – Several large events are held each year that highlight the history and offerings of Mordecai. Haunted Mordecai and Santa's Trolley are two of our most popular events. Volunteers are needed to assist with a range of activities including special guided tours, crafts, and games
• Grounds Beautification – There are always projects that need to be done on the grounds and gardens. Volunteers help keep Mordecai looking its best

Contact Joshua Ingersoll at Joshua.Ingersoll@raleighnc.gov

Membership

• Free admission to Mordecai Historic Park and City of Raleigh Museum
• Free admission to select site events, museum events, tours and lectures
• 10% gift shop discount at Mordecai and City Museum
• 10% discount on all site rentals
• The Raleigh Register Program Newsletter
• Join the Mordecai Square Association! Your donation will help revitalize and preserve one of North Carolina’s most significant historic sites.
• As a member you also enjoy cross program perks at the City of Raleigh Museum, The Raleigh Trolley, Mordecai Historic Park, Borden, Tucker, and Pope House Museum.
• Membership Form