Jacob Henry House

Visitors taking a historic walking tour through Downtown Beaufort will want to take a quick pause and a photo or two at the Jacob Henry House. Tucked away along Front Street, this 1790s home is one of the many historic treasures that Beaufort has to offer.

The Jacob Henry House was built around 1794, and is a charming 2.5 story home with two levels of porches and white columns standing guard at the entrance. The home is distinguished as the residence of Jacob Henry, who in 1809 made history when he tackled the debate over the right for a Jew to hold a state office in North Carolina. Henry’s eloquent speech in defense of his rights went down in the history books, and he was also an important local in his small hometown of Beaufort, as evident by his involvement with the area’s paper, the Raleigh Star. While the house would eventually be transferred to other owners – and undergo a few cosmetic changes along the way – the structure nevertheless remains very similar to its original 1790s condition. Located just a few steps away from the waterfront, and situated next to another historic landmark, the NC Maritime Museum, the Jacob Henry House is a prime example of Beaufort’s devotion to history.