BFCT13 The Front Porch on Ann Street

With more than a century of seafaring history woven into its walls, The Front Porch on Ann Street is full of the timeless atmosphere of charming downtown Beaufort. It's a place for beautiful days of exploring and balmy afternoons spent rocking on the front porch, watching the neighborhood pass you by. One of the wonderful features of this house is its storied history, dating back to Captain Jack Parkins and his wife, Emily, who moved the house - by barge - from Adam's Creek to its present location after marrying in 1902. In the century since the home rolled on logs across Front Street, it has remained in the Parkins-Lewis family as Beaufort has grown up around it. The heart of town is half a mile west, home to an array of restaurants and shops, the Island Express Ferry Service, and the North Carolina Maritime Museum. Sunlight seems to find every corner of the house, thanks to generous windows that line both floors. Linger on the porch swing or the rocking chairs out front, fire up the gas grill, or step inside to either the living room or family room to bask in the comfort of central air conditioning. Prepare family meals in the well-equipped kitchen, sit down for dinner in the formal dining room, and bring coffee and dessert to the yard out back to enjoy in the shade of mature trees. In the evenings, take a sunset bike ride, watch movies on the TV, log onto the WiFi to catch up on email at one of several desk workspaces, and get a sound night's sleep in the four inviting bedrooms upstairs.