Flat Top Manor--more commonly called Cone Manor--is the center piece of the 3,600 acre Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, donated to the National Park Service by the family of textile magnate Moses Cone after his death. The grand structure, once used by the Cone family as a summer retreat, looks down on Bass Lake near Blowing Rock. The property it dominates, acquired by Cone in 1897, includes 25 miles of winding carriage roads leading down to the lake. The carriage roads are popular with locals and visitors alike for hiking, jogging and horseback riding. Located near Parkway milepost 293, the Manor now houses the Parkway Crafts Center.

The bright white of the Manor is stunningly beautiful on a sunny day, contrasting sharply against the darker tones of blue sky and green lawn. This shot was made just after sunrise in late summer. The early morning was still, quiet and peaceful, with the low angle of the sun casting just enough modeling light to give the structure texture and depth in the camera's eye. As no doubt intended by the Cones' architect a century ago, the foreground fence echoes the trim on all three levels of the house itself, providing a repetition of pattern and line to appeal to any photographer.