Hometown Tourist: A Walking Tour of Dorothea Dix Park
On July 24th, 2015, the City of Raleigh purchased the Dorothea Dix Campus from the State of North Carolina for the purpose of developing a destination park. The planning and development of Dorothea Dix Park represents one of the most exciting and ambitious new park projects in America.
The free 2-hour, 3.5 mile tour will cover the history of the land and legacy of Dorothea Dix, the current use of the area as the headquarters of the Department of Health and Human Services and the steps the City will take in planning a future park.
---
Location: 1800 Umstead Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603
Note: Google Maps sometimes incorrectly labels Umstead Drive as Black Drive. They are the same street.
Know Before You Go:
Parking: Please meet in Dorothea Dix Park in the large parking lot located near the Kirby Building on Umstead Drive (roughly 1985 Umstead Drive). The parking lot is bordered by Umstead Drive and Dawkins Drive. The parking lot is striped in green paint. Please meet at the gazebo. From Western Boulevard, turn onto Hunt Drive. Then turn right onto Umstead Drive. Take the first right into the parking lot.
Food and Restrooms: This is a walking tour for those with average walking ability. Walking up hills, in grass and on uneven surfaces will be necessary. There are no bathrooms in the park and no drinkable water, so please plan to bring a water bottle. The tour will be canceled and rescheduled if there is inclement weather.