Warner House

Get to know the Warner House, where Southern coastal history, family legacy and preservation converge in Beaufort

Situated along Beaufort’s Front Street, the small town’s iconic waterfront, this home dates back before the American Revolution (1769) and retains many of the historic features that define the character of one of North Carolina’s oldest coastal communities. The property blends original craftsmanship and period details with modern livability, all while overlooking Taylors Creek and the Beaufort waterfront (it even comes with a 60ft deeded deep water boat slip). Adding another layer to the story is the home’s current owner, Gordon Smith, grandson of Clarence Hamilton Poe, the influential publisher and editor of The Progressive Farmer. Poe’s publishing legacy helped shape Southern journalism for generations, and the company he led ultimately became the foundation from which Southern Living was launched. Gordon Smith sought to make his own legacy in business, education, and philanthropy, and is a founder of the Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh.

Before all of this though, the home’s story begins with an unmarried woman, “Miss” Sarah Davis, who purchased the Warner house and the neighboring properties in the late 1880s to create the Davis Boarding House and ran this successful hotel from 1882 until World War II. Today, the Davis Boarding House (the combined houses of 119-125 Front Street) has the longest porch in Beaufort with a total of 13 bays. The house has been kept in pristine condition and is filled with natural light, exposed wood beams, a long wrap-around porch for views of the water and a 60 ft deeded deep water boat slip.

For additional images and information click here.