The "Beaufort Restoration"

The Russell House once stood on the south side of the Josiah Bell House, 
but was removed from the property, that would become the "Beaufort Restoration." 
[Image courtesy the Beaufort Historical Association.]

 

In "Memories of Beaufort in the Nineties," Thomas Carrow wrote, "Uncle George Russell, who had previously run a farm on New Bern Road, came to town sometime about 1890, possibly a little earlier, and set up a store and boarding house that later expanded into the Russell House."

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An excerpt from the Founding of the Beaufort Historical Association: Early Days:

                                                                                           

“In 1963, the association realized little progress could be made with less than a thousand dollars in the bank. In December of that year, a decision was made to mount a major fund-raising drive for the "Beaufort Restoration." A grant of $200 was received by the association from the N.C. Society for the Preservation of Antiquities. The money was used to print a four-page brochure outlining plans for the restoration. Brochures were distributed at a series of fund-raising meetings, and mailed to former Beaufort residents living out of town. The restoration was a new concept and the brochure contained a sketch showing location of buildings as well as a description of the steps to be followed to take the project to completion.

“Beaufort’s former mayor, William H. Potter, headed the campaign. At the first meeting in January 1964, at St. Paul's Parish House, Mr. Potter told his audience that the restoration was not a project for Beaufort residents only "but for all people interested in the heritage embodied by the town." Mr. Potter outlined the organizational plan. Four divisions, consisting of 12 persons each, were set up, headed by Braxton Adair, Mrs. Charles Cheek, Jim Wheatley, and Miss Lena Duncan. ...

J.C. Manson House c.1825

 

Josiah Bell House c.1825

“Those homes, in the 100 block of Turner Street, were the Ruby Becton house, known as the red Joseph Bell House [now J.C. Manson House] on the west side of the street, and the Avery, Thomas [Josiah Bell House], and Everett houses on the east side of the street. The Joseph Bell House was restored [and re-plaqued as the John Cooper Manson House]. The Avery House, north of the Thomas House, was removed, as was the Everett House, a boarding house in the 1940s that once stood on the south side of the Thomas House.

“Mr. Tarlton commented on the opportunity, in the vicinity of a restoration, for antique shops, museums and restaurants. The "Beaufort Restoration," as it is today, carries out the basic plan, as proposed in 1964, except for a shell road.

“A brochure noted, ‘The Beaufort Restoration is a plan to set up, near the downtown area of Beaufort, a group of old Beaufort houses and shops. It will recreate a portion of the town as it would have appeared to the seafaring men of the 1700s as they sailed through Old Beaufort Inlet. The area which has been selected includes the center of Old Town, originally the site of the market place and the stage coach stop from New Bern. The village, which is proposed, would be open to the public on a regular basis, for sightseeing, for educational purposes, and to history buffs.’ 

 

Nathan Fuller House c.1831

“The brochure described the phases of development. The first, purchase of the Bell House; the second, purchase of the Thomas, Everett and Avery properties, and the third phase, purchase of old Beaufort shops and homes which become available because of encroachment or through other circumstances. They would be moved to the restoration grounds, set up and restored as they would have appeared when they were first constructed.” (Ruth Barbour)

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Houses purchased which REMAINED in their original location 

on the "Beaufort Restoration"

• JOHN COOPER MASON HOUSE circa 1825 (originally believed to be the Joseph Bell House) was restored in 2001. 

• JOSIAH BELL HOUSE circa 1825 remained in the Bell family until purchased by Charles Walter Thomas Sr. before 1930. In 1964, the house was purchased by the Beaufort Historical Association for $10,500. 

• NATHAN FULLER HOUSE circa 1831 is the administration office for the Beaufort Historical Association.

Houses and buildings MOVED to the “Beaufort Restoration”

• About 1975, the R. RUSTELL HOUSE, plaqued circa 1732, (Mattie King Davis Gallery) was moved from the west side of Craven Street near the corner of Front Street. Though plaqued for "Rustell" [Richard Rustull], this house was likely built by William Dennis before 1770. In his 1800 will, he left Old Town lot #13 to family “to be rented out.” In 1802, the Dennis family deeded the lot to Jechonias Pigott, “with premises and all out buildings." (Since this could be one of the oldest houses in Beaufort, a dendrochronological study could determine the approximate building date.) See MORE...
  

• In the 1980s, the LEFFER’S COTTAGE, plaqued circa 1778, was moved from New Town lot #12, the NW corner of Front and Live Oak streets. Samuel Leffers purchase lot #12 on September 13, 1775; he sold it on September 12, 1776, including a “singular premises.” However, though plaqued 1778, the house was not built until two or three decades after Leffers’ death in 1822. (Early Domestic Architecture in Beaufort, North Carolina, Williamsburg Field Study 2012) See Samuel Leffers

• The 1797 COURTHOUSE, used as home to the Dr. Cramer/Carrow family from about 1843 until it was acquired and moved in 1976.

• The 1859 APOTHECARY, built by Dr. Cramer, adjacent to the converted 1797 Courthouse on the north side of Ann Street, was purchased by Dr. Josiah B. Davis in 1864 and move across the street adjacent to his home; it was also used by his son Dr. George Davis. The building was moved in 1974.

• The 1829 JAIL, originally built by Elijah Whitehurst on the NE side of Courthouse Square, was moved in 1977.