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I always dreamed of moving to the coast to paint. And though I had
never been to Beaufort, I was undeniably drawn to the quaint seaside
village. Settling full-time into a duplex cottage at 207 Orange Street
in 2001, I sensed the historic reality of Beaufort's charm.
Inspired by all the unique porches and fences, I began to paint, while
exploring and expanding a sincere fascination with my new community.
Yearning to know more about the homes and residents of yesteryear, I
searched family records and house histories; this helped me capture the
character and spirit of each dwelling.
While exploring other
materials and sources, I found much I had not seen in the few local
publications. With no internet archive of the town, in 2006 I began my
first weblog, Beaufort, North Carolina History—Histories and Images from
the Past. As the site content grew, descendants from all over the
country, even researcher Ian Lucraft of Sheffield, England, began
contacting me with more information about their ancestors. I was also
surprised by a call from a descendant of Farnifold Green, who held a
1707 land patent, part of which became Beaufort.
The first eight years of work resulted in Porchscapes, the Colors of Beaufort,
which includes much history and features 50 porch paintings and house
histories. The introduction was written by architectural historian Tony
P. Wrenn, whose 1970 Beaufort study resulted in its nomination to the
National Register. During our correspondence, Tony emphasized, "History
isn't history unless it's documented." Encouraged by other architectural
historians and supported by emails from Charles L. Paul, author of
Colonial Beaufort, I learned to dig deeper.
Diagnosed with MS while I was finishing Porchscapes,
painting gradually became more difficult for me. Acquiescing to my
accelerating mobility issues and wanting a water view, I moved to Radio
Island—also a Beaufort address, over the Grayden Paul Bridge. But the
research continued. Wanting to do more, I finally decided to compile the
first in-depth account of ALL Beaufort's historic homes, buildings and
places—a huge project, but one that might not otherwise be done.
Enthralled with the missing pieces of the puzzle of Beaufort's past, I
also sought answers to many questions that troubled me, such as: Why was
1709 selected as Beaufort's "established" date? Is the Hammock House
the oldest? Was the town built on an Indian village and who were the
Coree? I found and have included answers to these questions. I was very
excited to find that schoolmaster Samuel Leffers built the Hammock House
in 1800! More research also helped me provide more accurate building
dates for several houses featured in Porchscapes.
As I
finish this volume, overlooking the town and the sea, I imagine the
early ships in and out of the harbor and all those who chose this safe
haven by the sea to raise their families—all the while, thankful to
them, and those who followed, for preserving the homes they
built—without the quaintness of the surviving collection, Beaufort would
not be the same.
- Mary Warshaw