Our Programs
Guided Home Tours
We invite guests of all ages to step back in time, to 1779, to experience everyday life in the federal-style home of Hugh and Isabella Torance and their son, James Torrance's mercantile store. Our experienced docents guide visitors on a living history adventure as they tour the homesite and visit the Torance Store. Learn about Hugh Torance and his family, their connections to other prominent figures, local families, historic sites, and important historical events that spans six generations of Torance descendants who owned this immaculately preserved property.
School & Group Tours
We welcome public or private school, homeschool, daycare and summer camp field trip groups of 20 or more year-round! We can cater our guided tours to highlight certain topics like Huntersville and North Carolina history, American history, the American Revolution, ecology, historical places and people connected to the Torance family, and other topics as requested. We can also facilitate hands-on games and activities, 18th century cooking demonstrations, and service projects! Please connect with us for more details.
Ghost Tour Program
Do you think the Hugh Torance House is haunted? Join the ghost hunting experts with the Charlotte Area Paranormal Society for a rare chance to find out! Ticketed guests will earn about the various tools and equipment used to detect possible supernatural happenings inside and around the historic homesite, or bring your own equipment to find or communicate with any spirits who've also joined the tour group! Check out our online event schedule for upcoming ghost tour dates and times.
Torance Store Program
With an expertly accessioned collection of antiques, our Store offers a rare display of the same mercantile goods on its shelves behind the counter that were referenced on the last pages of James G. Torrence's mercantile inventory records in 1825. The Torance Store also offers sundries and local goods like honey, lavender, artisan crafts and gifts, kids toys, games, and costumes, historical books and so much more! The Torance Mercantile Store is open to the public every Sunday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm, February 1st through December 15th and we also offer online ordering with store pickup!
Special Community Events
We host a MecDec Day celebration, colonial cooking and craft demonstrations, historical holiday events, and HEARTS Happenings events throughout the year. We also participate in historical home and garden tours and museum passport tours. Our community events are free and open to the public! Check out our event schedule for more details about upcoming special events and to reserve your tickets!
Preservation and Conservation
We strive for continued historic preservation and ecological conservation on our site and in the surrounding areas. Working alongside planners and developers, we continue to advocate for the preservation of our important piece of North Carolina history. We strongly believe historic places can be preserved and add value to a thoughtful development plan and encourage historic preservation through reuse and rehabilitation, and community involvement. If you'd like to help us ensure the Hugh Torance House and Store survives and thrives, have connections to resources that can help, or would like to volunteer your time, please connect with us.