Construction Starts at Latta Place in Huntersville, With a Reopening Planned for 2027

Latta Place, the historic house site inside Latta Nature Preserve in Huntersville, is finally under construction. Mecklenburg County held a groundbreaking and libation ceremony on Monday, Oct. 12, and says the site is expected to reopen to the public in 2027. (Mecklenburg County)

If you have driven out Sample Road toward Mountain Island Lake in the past few years, you know the historic site itself has been closed while the county worked out its future. This is the first time that plan has moved from drawings to dirt.

What is being built

The county describes three main pieces of work on the roughly 16 acre site: (Mecklenburg County)

• A new visitor center. The design the county revealed in March 2025 calls for a 6,000 square foot building next to the historic farmstead, replacing the current visitor center. (Mecklenburg County)
• An interpretive trail. It loops through Latta Place and the surrounding preserve, with signs and interactive displays for self guided visits, and the county says it is designed for people of all abilities.
• Updates to the farmstead. The Latta House and the meat house stay, with repairs to the house. A replica barn, a replica field office, a chicken coop, and freestanding restrooms are planned for removal, and gardens, native meadows, and an outdoor gathering space are planned in their place.

The trail ends at a memorial honoring at least 65 people who were enslaved at Latta Place, with reflection spaces at the trail's start and end. (Mecklenburg County)

A broader story than before

The county says the goal is to tell the full story of the people connected to the land, including enslaved people, Indigenous people, tenant farmers, artisans, historic landowners, and more recent stewards. It is working with historical interpretation experts on exhibits and possible programs. (Mecklenburg County)

The house itself is a designated Mecklenburg County historic landmark at 5225 Sample Road. The county's landmark listing dates it to about 1800 and describes it as an early Federal style house on what was one of the largest plantations in the county. (Mecklenburg County Historic Landmarks)

How it got here

The site, then called Latta Plantation, closed in 2021 after public criticism of a planned Juneteenth event, and the county ended its contract with the group that had operated it, as WFAE and WUNC have reported. (WUNC)

According to the county, the redevelopment process started in 2021, a master plan was approved in 2023, and design and site plans were released in 2025. WUNC reports that the county will run and maintain the site itself rather than contract out its operation.

What it costs

The county's announcement does not give a price. WUNC reports the project at $11.2 million, and WSOC reports it at more than $11 million. (WSOC)

What is still uncertain

• The exact reopening date. The county says 2027. One local TV report said later in 2026, but the county's own release is the one to go by.
• Access during construction. The county's release does not say whether any part of the preserve near the historic site is affected while work is underway. If you are heading out for a hike or to the lake, check the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation greenways and preserves pages or call Park and Recreation at 980-314-1000 before you go.
• Programs and hours. Exhibits and programming are still being developed with outside experts, so hours, admission, and tours have not been announced.

Where to follow along

The county posts project updates at latta.mecknc.gov, and the design and site plans are on the county's public input page at publicinput.com/historiclatta.

For Huntersville and the north end of Mecklenburg, this is a meaningful one to watch. Once it reopens, Latta Place gives the area a reworked history site and a new trail right next to one of the county's larger nature preserves.

Last verified October 16, 2026.