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Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Source:  Old Town of Bloomsbury, Raleigh. Photo by Natasha Smith

  • Monument Name

    Old Town of Bloomsbury, Raleigh

  • Type

    Marker

  • Subjects

    Colonial Wars

    Colonial History

    Local History

    Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

  • City

    Raleigh

  • County

    Wake

  • Description

    The Old Town of Bloomsbury memorial is a simply unadorned, rectangular, bronze tablet. It is attached to a lectern shaped block of finished granite on a single granite base. When first dedicated the tablet was attached to a large stone, later it was set into a red brick retaining wall. The retaining wall was removed due to disrepair or road improvements which led to the tablet being restored in 2018 by Wake Monument Company and attached to the current granite block.

    Images: Bronze plaque | Original location in 1911 | In 1950s the plaque was mounted in retaining wall | Since 2018, the marker is located on the lawn of Raleigh Planned Parenthood-Raleigh Health Center

  • Inscription

    ON AND AROUND THIS SPOT / STOOD THE OLD TOWN OF / BLOOMSBURY / OR WAKE COURTHOUSE / WHICH WAS ERECTED / AND MADE THE COUNTY-SEAT / WHEN WAKE COUNTY WAS / ESTABLISHED IN 1771.

    THIS PLACE WAS THE RENDEZ- / VOUS OF A PART OF GOVERNOR / TYRON’S ARMY WHEN HE MARCHED / AGAINST THE REGULATORS / IN 1771. HERE MET THE STATE / REVOLUTIONARY ASSEMBLY / IN 1781, AND TO THIS VICINITY / WAS REMOVED THE SEAT OF / GOVERNMENT WHEN THE CAPITOL / CITY OF RALEIGH WAS / INCORPORATED IN 1792.

    THIS MEMORIAL PLACED BY / BLOOMSBURY CHAPTER / DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION / A.D. 1911

  • Custodian

    Planned Parenthood - Raleigh Health Center

  • Dedication Date

    April 26, 1911

  • Decade

    1910s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    35.779910 , -78.649200 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      "Birthplace of Raleigh Marked," The News And Observer (Raleigh, NC), April 27, 1911

      "Olde Raleigh-NC," Facebook, July 24, 2018, (accessed April 18, 2021) Link

      “A History Bloomsbury, North Carolina,” Carolana.com, (accessed April 18, 2021) Link

      “Site of Old Bloomsbury Now Marked,” The Raleigh Times (Raleigh, NC), April 26, 1911

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Bronze, granite

  • Sponsors

    Bloomsbury Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution

  • Monument Dedication and Unveiling

    John W. Hinsdale, Jr. acted as master of ceremonies. A brief address about the founding of Raleigh was given by William B. Snow followed by Miss Mary Hilliard Hilton, Regent of the North Carolina Society of the Daughters of the Revolution, who presented the memorial to the city of Raleigh.

  • Location

    Since 2018 the marker is located on the lawn of Planned Parenthood-Raleigh Health Center located at the corner of South Boylan Ave. and West Morgan Street in Raleigh, NC.

  • Landscape

    The marker stands on the lawn surrounded by shrubs and trees.

  • Relocated

    Yes

  • Former Locations

    The plaque has been relocated twice before it was placed in 2018 in front of the Planned Parenthood in Raleigh on Boylan Avenue. Around 1950s the plaque has been mounted in retaining wall at the corner of South Boylan Ave. and West Morgan Street in Raleigh, NC.

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