Brickle-Myers House

Here is an opportunity to own the Brickle-Myers House (c1780), which is on the National Register of Historic Places and the oldest surviving home in Washington NC. This three story home – with five rooms that can easily serve as bedchambers, three bathrooms, cellar, 2600 sq ft – is on an oversized waterview lot that is NOT in a FEMA floodzone, has a shared bricked driveway with off-street parking, and a backyard with one of very few surviving period Flemish-bond dependencies in Beaufort county – and arguably the one in best condition.

With a transferable termite warranty and new cedar shake roofs on both the main house and two story dependency, the manse will require some updates of modern amenities (e.g., HVAC, kitchen, windows painted shut) by a person sensitive to its marvelous original state of preservation.

In the autumn of 1775, Col James Bonner commenced a sale of properties that would become the town of Washington. Each prospective paid £5 and then drew a number which indicated the undeveloped lot that Bonner would deed to them. According to Crow’s seminal work on the historic houses of Beaufort Co (1982) evidence points to one John Brickle as the original purchaser of (this) Plat #55.

By September 1795, John Gray Blount owned the property and subdivided it in thirds, each a separate homestead. The three houses on those lots – known as Marsh, Myers, and Hyatt – remain standing to this day, directly fronting the greenspace of Festival Park and overlooking boats sailing the Pamlico River.

The Civil War resulted in the loss of many records, and the earliest extant deed that references the Myers’ property’s house dates from 1826, many years after the building’s construction. This was when the house was enlarged from its original ‘side hall’ floorplan to its current footprint, with the eastern half having Federal elements, and the ‘new’ western half favoring Greek Revival.

The Myers family founded John Myers & Co, a general mercantile store and later shipyard directly across the street. It was at the Myers warehouse that the Fresnel lens from the Cape Hatteras lighthouse was hidden in 1861 en route to a more secure location inland in the opening months of federal occupation – go ahead and Google.

Washington NC, the first town in the fledgling republic named after George, is the county seat, and now a vibrant riverfront town of just under 10,000 in eastern North Carolina, within easy commute of East Carolina University and Greenville. The historic waterfront downtown – including harbor and lighthouse – has become a lively performing arts, dining, and music scene, which contains a distillery and several craft breweries along Main Street.

Washington is centrally located – it is an easy drive of just over 2 hours each to Raleigh’s int’l airport (west), Wilmington (south), Norfolk (north) and the Outer Banks (east). By driving 50 uncongested miles southeast, one can also hop the car-ferry to Ocracoke.

As a contributing structure of the historic district, the Brickle-Myers House is eligible for state restoration tax credits. The possibilities are truly endless.

It is challenging to comp this property, because there is nothing like it. 

[note: while there is one lighting fixture that does not convey, there is the possibility of separate antique furniture sales if interested]

There is so much more to tell about the Brickle-Myers House, including the witch bottles in the cellar, the previously hidden Episcopal church chandelier, and the cannon ball in the wall. But more of that when you come to visit.