WHITE OAK – Located in the little town of White Oak (population 370), 12 miles from Elizabethtown and a little over a mile to the Cape Fear River, there remains one of the oldest residences in North Carolina.
Harmony Hall was a home built before the American Revolution by a British Colonel, James Richardson, who came upon the property while making lemonade from lemons. Richardson, who was highly decorated and served courageously in the French and Indian War under famous British General, James Wolfe.
Although Richardson had settled in Connecticut, a shipwreck near Cape Hatteras detained his journey while his ship was undergoing repairs in Bladen County. As many who have come to visit Bladen County, he fell in love with the area and decided to use a land grant given to him by King George III (given to him for his military service) to establish his permanent residence.