"I'm Home--Beaufort Waterfront and the Meka II"To those of you who aren’t familiar with Beaufort, North Carolina, it is a small, quaint community by the sea - officially mapped and named by permission of the Lords Proprietors on October 2, 1713.
For hundreds of years, residents struggled and gained their subsequent strength and determination by taking the risk of being isolated – most surviving by living directly or indirectly off the sea.
Growth was slow, but residents protected the land and built sturdy homes – homes that have survived wars and hundreds of hurricanes.
Some larger homes were built by plantation owners who used their town homes to conduct their businesses. The sailing ships of the day were their connection to the rest of the world - for shipping, trading and communicating.
Fishermen built small utilitarian fishing cottages. Homes and businesses were handed down from generation to generation. Perhaps this is the main reason that Beaufort boasts so many historic homes.
Today Beaufort is still somewhat of a hidden jewel - a place where visitors can step back in time, while enjoying the slow pace, the surrounding vistas - the peacefulness of it all.
This ambiance--sense of place--is what visitors come to experience and what Beaufortites want to preserve.
It is also the reason how and why I, as an artist, found my niche. I have painted many of Beaufort’s homes and porches. I also believe my painting and resulting prints of the waterfront--the view that sea captains saw centuries ago, and ships today see when they come into port - represents Beaufort’s past, present and future.
Mary Warshaw
This site, "Beaufort North Carolina History," was created in 2006.
