Originally named “Fish
Town” and inhabited by the Coree Indians, Beaufort was later
settled by fishermen and those who lived off the land and sea.
Founded in 1709, the town became an active seaport. Many settlers
built fisherman’s cottages, while plantation owners built
seaside homes in Beaufort as bases for their sea trading businesses.
Boat building was also a natural for a small village by the sea.
Beaufort was only accessible by boat until 1908 when a railroad
connection between Morehead City and Beaufort was completed. It
wasn’t until 1926 that the first highway bridge was completed
connecting the two towns.
Today residents and visitors are thankful that Beaufort has not
only maintained its historic appearance, but also remains small,
quaint, and unspoiled. Listed on the National Register of Historic
Places, Beaufort boasts more than 150 houses over 100 years old
– many are over 200 years old.
Architectural styles vary from Greek and Gothic Revival, Queen
Anne and Craftman’s bungalows to traditional fisherman’s
cottages. They all have one thing in common—they all have
porches.
In 1970 architectural historian Tony Wrenn put it best when he
wrote, “Of all of North Carolina’s coastal port towns,
only in Beaufort is nearly every streetscape a porchscape.”
