A Visit to North Carolina's Chinqua Penn Plantation

As you enter the gate of the front entrance, a stone clock tower sits off to the right. I can just imagine someone climbing the stairs to check the clock levers to see if everything is in working order.

The road from the gift shop to the main entrance of the house, is about as long as a football field. A stone bridge sits on the Entrance road. Chinese statues and stone chairs sit in the shade of the trees for people to sit on.

A Chinese Pagoda sits to the right of the mansion. A swimming pool is in front of the Pagoda. A giant fountain welcomes you before you enter the house.

When you enter the house the Marie Antoinette room is to your left. The mirrors on the ceiling and walls make you feel like a Princess, as you enter the room. The French furniture is beautiful.

The formal living room has antiques from all over the world. The brass candle holders on the table are from Italy. It is easy to imagine Mrs. Penn sitting at one end of the table speaking to her husband. They were very romantic toward each other. In this room a tapestry of Moses receiving the ten commandments can be seen. It was made in France.

The pipe organ has pipes under the floor, so that the sound can be heard as the organ plays. The organ plays by itself and is located on the second floor.

The mud room occupied Mr. Penn and his friends, when their clothes were muddy. This looks like a mans room, with the spear and bugle located on the wall. With a stone floor and chairs for the studly men to sit in, the hunt of fox filled the air. The African drum sits in the corner. It is beautifully hand crafted. The men would relax here and have a drink before supper.

The four seasons are painted on the ceiling of the breakfast and lunch room. The room was always filled with fresh cut flowers from the gardens on the Estate.

The Dining room is a formal dining room set for a king. The finest of China is set on the table. Come see the grape clusters on the ceiling and mahogany walls that line the dining room.

The view of the landscape is filled with all types of trees. The view of the gardens have got to be beautiful, when they are in full bloom.

Mr. and Mrs. Penn slept together in the same room. With French and Italian furniture the room is beautifully lit. Two of the chairs in the room are from the 1700's. They are both Louis the 15 and Louis the 16 chairs. Japanese watercolors are on the walls of their room. Their bed was from Italy and was hand-carved.

I hope that if you are ever in the area of Reidsville, you will take a day and spend it at Chiqua-Penn Plantation. View the Plantation and enjoy your day.

The price for a tour is $10 for children younger than 16. It is $20 for anyone older than 16. The address is 2138 Wentworth Street Reidsville, N.C. or www.chiquapenn.com (336) 349-4576