Historic House Consumed by Fire in Beaufort, NC
The Charlotte Observer
(TNS)
A revered coastal home that predates the American Revolution has been destroyed by fire, according to officials in Beaufort, North Carolina.
Known as the Duncan House, the two-story structure dates to 1728 and was part of a 12-block historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, town officials said.
“This is a heartbreaking moment for Beaufort,” Mayor Sharon Harker said in a news release.
“The Duncan House is part of our historic fabric, and while we are grateful no lives were lost, the emotional toll of damage to a home — especially one with deep family and historic meaning — is significant.”
The initial fire call came around 6:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 15, and the cause remains under investigation. No one was inside at the time, officials said.
Duncan House and “is one of only 11 properties in North Carolina designated as Statewide Properties of Significance,” town officials noted. The interior is 4,401 square feet, and it last sold in 2020, for $2.5 million, according to Realtor.com.
Beaufort, originally known as Beaufort Towne, began as a fishing village in the late 1600s, and builders adopted techniques similar to Bahamian and West Indian-style homes, the town reports.
The Duncan House is an example, but dating it as a whole has been a challenge, due to additions built as late as 1810, historians say.
In a 2012 report, a state historian described the home on Front Street is a “nationally significant” example of a style of home building known as “a Beaufort House.”
“This iconic structure, known for its rich heritage and architectural significance, has been a formidable landmark in the community for nearly three centuries,” according to Michael Tahaney, executive director of the Beaufort Historical Association.
“Plans to rebuild are uncertain at this moment, but there is no doubt this loss of the original Duncan House marks a significant moment in Beaufort’s history.”
Beaufort is about a 155-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.
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