Executive Mansion, Raleigh

The official residence of North Carolina's governor, this ornate Queen Anne mansion in downtown Raleigh was built in 1891 and remains in use today. Built partly by prison labor using bricks stamped with the names of the inmates who made them, its wide verandas, gables, and gingerbread trim exemplify the exuberant Victorian style of its era. President Franklin Roosevelt once called it the most beautiful governor's residence in the country. Guided tours reveal richly furnished period rooms, decorative woodwork, and portraits.