|
|
Historic Buildings
|
The Beaufort Historic Site
is comprised of ten buildings, six of which
have been authentically restored, nestled on
two acres in the heart of the quaint
downtown area of Beaufort. Guided
tours of
these historic treasures are available
Monday through Saturday. $8 for adults and
$4 for children.
Click on any of the houses below for
more information. |
 |
 |
Leffers Cottage, c1778
This rustic cottage was once home to Samuel
Leffers, a schoolmaster, merchant, and clerk
of the court. The primitive house serves as
the perfect setting to showcase artifacts
relating to the daily chores of cooking,
spinning, sewing, candle making, and weaving
in the Colonial period. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Carteret County
Courthouse, c1796
The oldest wood-framed courthouse in North
Carolina, the courthouse has recently
undergone an award-winning restoration. It
serves as the backdrop for our
courthouse
dramatization, an integral tool
for educating today’s youth about the early
American legal system. |
|
|
|
|
 |
John C. Manson House,
c1825
The award-winning John C. Manson House is a
testament to the Beaufort Historic Site’s
dedication to authentic restoration. This
elegant Federal-style house stands on its
original site as an excellent example of the
Bahamian architecture so prevalent in
Beaufort. It now boasts exact replications
of the historic decorative faux finishes
found on the interior walls and exterior
doors of the house. |
|
|
|
 |
Josiah Bell House,
c1825
This Victorian house served as the residence
of the influential Bell family of Beaufort.
Josiah Fisher Bell, son of the home’s
namesake, was a Confederate agent who was
responsible for blowing up a series of
lighthouses at Cape Lookout during the Civil
War. |
|
|
|
 |
The Old Jail, c1829
A favorite with children, the Old Jail has
28-inch thick walls and boasts legends of
ghosts and a single hanging in 1874. The
jailer and his family coexisted here with
the prisoners, though the jailer’s quarters
were much cozier than those of the inmates.
Amazingly, this jail remained in use until
1954. |
|
|
|
|
 |
The Apothecary Shop
and Doctor’s Office, c1859
Built in 1859, the apothecary remains
essentially unchanged in appearance. It
houses a priceless collection of medicinal
and pharmaceutical artifacts, most of which
are original to the shop, that make it very
popular with residents and visitors alike.
|
|
|
|
Gardens on the Site
|
The Beaufort Historic Site
has two gardens that guests are welcome to
stroll through. These gardens are
cared for by volunteers from the Carteret
County Master Gardener Association. |
|
|
 |
Leffers Garden
The charming Leffers Garden depicts a
typical colonial garden that would have been
found in the 1800's. The garden is
replanted every Spring and Fall by the NC
Master Gardener Association. |
|
|
|
|
 |
The Herb Garden
The Herb Garden, located behind the
Apothecary and Doctor's Shop, features a
variety of plants and herbs that are an
example of what was used for medicinal and
cooking purposes during Colonial times. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
