Press release from the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation:
Thanks to a new 3D virtual tour of Flat Top Manor, the historical home at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is accessible year-round. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation will host a free 30-minute webinar at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, to demonstrate how to use this innovative tool to “walk” the halls of Flat Top Manor.The online experience allows viewers to roam through rooms and learn about the architectural features, estate history, and Moses and Bertha Cone’s lives. The tour also explores areas of the circa-1901 manor typically not open to the public. Flat Top Manor closes to visitors each year in November and reopens in the spring. The project, funded by donations to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, allows access to continue during the off season and when guided tours are not available.“This is an opportunity to explore this historical treasure of the Blue Ridge Parkway in an innovative way,” said Jordan Calaway, development officer with the Foundation, who helped create the tour. “Just as Moses and Bertha Cone featured the latest technology when they built Flat Top Manor, we are able to use modern techniques to share the significance and stories of the home with a broader audience.”Virtual visitors can navigate the floorplan of the house room by room. Among the current highlights of the tour are historical images of the Cone family, descriptions of how the rooms were used, and details about art and furniture that graced the residence. Viewers can climb the stairs to the attic, which is closed to the public, before heading to the widow’s walk atop the house for a view of Bass Lake and the surrounding mountains. Over time, more information and features will be added to the experience.The 3D Matterport tour was created by Premier Images of Boone, and is available at BRPFoundation.org/flat-top-tour.
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