About Chinqua-Penn Plantation

Built in the 1920's by Thomas Jefferson Penn (1875 - 1946) and his wife, Beatrice Schoellkopf Penn (1881 - 1965), Chinqua-Penn reflects their lifestyle of entertaining, traveling, and collecting art and furniture from around the world. The historic landscape evolved into an exotic horticulture collection, changing with each season. The Penn's love of the beautiful and artistic was manifested in the use of both native and imported plant material at Chinqua-Penn, maintained throughout the Penn's tenure by their gardener, Charlie Talley. Chinqua-Penn is named for the chinquapin, a dwarf chestnut tree. Once abundant here, most chinquapins were destroyed by the chestnut blight in the 1930's. Take the tour.

Introduction - Whatever the perspectives, values, and historical understanding a guest might bring to Chinqua-Penn Plantation, a visit to Jeff and Betsy Penn's North Carolina home is guaranteed to raise more questions than it can immediately answer. Exploring these luxuriously appointed rooms, perusing through exquisitely crafter things of beauty...

Forward - I feel as though the Chinqua-Penn Foundation really commenced activity in 1923 when Thomas Jefferson Penn visited his 1,000 acre North Carolina farm with his new bride from Buffalo, New York, Betsy Schoellkopf Penn. Their dream home built of a native log and stone became a reality and was inhabited by the Penns until both their deaths--Jeff in 1946 and Betsy in 1965...

The Collection - The antique oak paneling is from a house in England. The 18th century Chinese screen in front of the fireplace has reverse painting on clear glass framed in carved teakwood. The portraits are of Jeff and Betsy Penn. Rose Medallion Bowls are under Jeff Penn's portrait on a Jacobean period oak cabinet. The chair to the left of the entrance to the living room is a replica of the Golden Chair of King Tut and is made of teakwood inlaid with ivory...