Buildings and Grounds

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 images 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.

Historic Site Gardens

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.

	The Leffers Garden The charming Leffers Garden depicts a typical colonial garden that would have been found in the 1800's. The garden is maintained by the NC Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardener Volunteers of Carteret County for use as an educational tool.
	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. The Herb Garden is maintained by the NC Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardener Volunteers of Carteret County.

Beaufort Historic Site 100 Block Turner Street Beaufort, NC 28516 252.728.5225 \| 800.575.7483 beauforthistoricsite@earthlink.net	Historic Site Hours		Mailing Address Beaufort Historical Association 150 Turner Street Beaufort, NC 28516
	Summer Hours March - November Monday - Saturday 9:30 am - 5:00 pm	Winter Hours December - February Monday - Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm