HISTORY
Historic Roots, The Flowers Story & The History of The Dr. Watson Inn
The Flowers Story
Joshua Percy Flowers moved to the area now known as Flowers Plantation in 1905 at the age of two. He began purchasing land in the early years of the Great Depression to farm cotton and tobacco, and it produced crops until the 1970s. Mr. Flowers was active in business, civic life and local and state politics. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, Mr. Flowers raised champion walker hounds, and at his death in 1982, owned more than 300 of them. Mr. Flowers and his wife, Delma Whitley Flowers, had two children. Their son, Percy Jr., was killed in a private plane accident in 1952 while he was a student at the University of North Carolina. Their daughter, Rebecca Flowers, began developing Flowers Plantation in 1978 and continues her family’s rich tradition today.
Our History
Before it came to be known as Flowers Plantation in the early 20th Century, the land in Johnston County along the Neuse River was called Pineville Plantation, owned by Revolutionary War veteran John Watson and his wife Elizabeth Lowry Watson. Their son, Dr. Josiah Ogden Watson born Sept. 24, 1784, whose reconstructed home stands today in Flowers Plantation, inherited the property.
Dr. Watson served as a hospital surgeon during the War of 1812 and served under Andrew Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814. A successful planter who owned more than 10,000 acres in Johnston and Wake Counties, Dr. Watson also was active in local and state politics, serving in the N.C. House of Commons. Active as a delegate in the Democratic Party, Dr. Watson was involved in national elections and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1841. In Raleigh, Dr. Watson served on a six-man commission to create the Insane Asylum of North Carolina, later known as Dorothea Dix Hospital. He was a leading supporter of the North Carolina Central Rail Road, built between 1851 and 1856.
Dr. Watson died June 12, 1852. Some of the money bequeathed in his will was used to organize the Ravenscroft School in Raleigh in 1937.
The Dr. Watson Inn is one of the iconic symbols that represents Flowers Plantation. View a tour of the home here.
Flowers Family Chapel
Nestled on the scenic peninsula of the South West Lake, the Flowers Family Chapel stands as one of the newest and most meaningful landmarks in the Crossroads area of Flowers Plantation. Constructed in 2026 by Josh Finch, the chapel represents both a continuation of family heritage and a thoughtful enhancement to the historic Flowers Family cemetery grounds.
The chapel’s story began years earlier, when the property was home to a mausoleum that served as a longstanding memorial site for the Flowers family. In 2025, plans were set in motion to transform the area into a more expansive and enduring place of remembrance. Construction soon began on what would become the Flowers Family Chapel — a project designed to preserve the history of the cemetery while creating a beautiful and peaceful gathering place for future generations.
As part of the development, the existing monuments and mausoleums were carefully relocated and permanently positioned throughout the property. Great care was taken to ensure the historical significance and dignity of the cemetery were preserved during the transition. The result is a thoughtfully arranged memorial landscape that blends traditional remembrance with refined architectural design.
Positioned along the water’s edge, the chapel’s location offers sweeping views of the South West Lake and the surrounding natural beauty of Flowers Plantation. The serene setting provides a sense of reflection and tranquility, making the chapel not only a place of memorial significance but also a striking visual centerpiece within the community.
Architecturally, the Flowers Family Chapel complements the character and heritage of the Crossroads area while introducing a timeless new structure to the landscape. Its presence symbolizes the enduring legacy of the Flowers family, whose history remains deeply connected to the growth and identity of Flowers Crossroads and the greater Flowers Plantation community.
Today, the Flowers Family Chapel serves as more than a cemetery landmark. It stands as a tribute to family history, community roots, and the preservation of local heritage. Overlooking the lake and surrounded by the historic cemetery grounds, the chapel offers visitors a place of peace, remembrance, and connection — an enduring addition to one of Johnston County’s most recognized communities.
The History of the Dr. Watson Inn
The history of the Dr. Watson Inn and the site of the former Flowers home place can be dated back to as early as the mid 1700’s when the home was owned by the Watson family. The Inn is named after Dr. Josiah Ogden Watson, the son of the original owner and a surgeon during the War of 1812. The home and land was purchased by the Flowers family in 1905.
The original structure was altered several times over the years, eventually falling beyond repair. In 2006, the structure was carefully disassembled to preserve any materials that could be recycled or refurbished into the current home. The house plan reverted back to the previous two-story plantation style and was erected in the same location. For example, the reclaimed beams in the kitchen are from the old floor system and the beautiful pot rack was an old window frame from the original house.
Today in the Inn serves as the iconic symbol that represents all that is Flowers Plantation.
READ THE FASCINATING STORY OF HOWARD CREECH
The man behind the legendary Percy Flowers
