maple grove

Docents were very generous with information about the house and original family, and could not have been more welcoming. Well thought out and informative brochure for self-guided tour. Love the history. Fine example of a home of this era. Did I mention it is free!!

Maple Grove is an antebellum house near downtown Hickory. It is easy to get to off of I-40, but your GPS may have trouble finding it. It is a few blocks away from the science center/museum. Self-guided tours are free. If you want, there is a free pamphlet describing the rooms. A large portion of the house is open and furnished, but the basement and attic is closed. The site office is in part of the second floor, but you may go in. The website says that you may pay for a guided tour, but we did not look into this. This is not a museum with everything labeled or described. Nor are all the rooms stuffed full of anything that might fit in such a house. The rooms are comfortably furnished with antiques. Walking through, I felt like I could move in and live there with everything just as it was.We took pictures inside and out and were finished within an hour. I wouldn't drive over an hour to see this. I think Maple Grove is more of an attraction either for historical architecture enthusiasts or someone looking for a free, culturally interesting way to spend an hour in Hickory.