Enjoy a virtual tour of Flat Top Manor
Beginning in 1897, Moses H. Cone designed and built an impressive retreat featuring carriage trails, lakes, orchards, fields, and forests. His vision was influenced by a great respect for the natural landscape. He constructed Flat Top Manor as the centerpiece of this idyllic mountain retreat in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Flat Top Manor is one of only five original buildings still standing at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, milepost 294 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Moses and his wife, Bertha, worked with Cornell-educated architect Orlo Epps to carefully choose the site for their 23-room, 13,795-square-foot mansion in Blowing Rock. Construction began in September 1899, and was complete by 1901. The home featured hot and cold running water, gas lights, central heat, and a telephone system.
Thanks to a new 3D virtual tour, Flat Top Manor is accessible year-round. The online experience allows viewers to roam through rooms and learn about the architectural features, estate history, and Cones' lives. The tour also explores areas of the manor typically not open to the public, including the attic and widow’s walk.
Check out our tutorial below to learn how to navigate the tour, or scroll down to access it now!
Quick Tips:
- You can view the tour on computer, cell phone, tablet, or a virtual reality headset.
- Click the circles on the floor to navigate the manor house. Click anywhere and drag to look around. If you don't see a circle, click where you want to go and the tour will move you to the closest possible position.
- Circular tags throughout the house provide information and are color-coded. Mouse over them (or tap them on mobile) to view the information.
Blue - Object Description
Purple - Personal Details
Red - Introduction to a room
Orange - Audiovisual content
Mint Green - Architectural feature
Forest Green - Landscape Feature
Yellow - Highlights NC 4th Grade Social Studies standards