HGTV features this historic home in Beaufort. Look inside the $1.499M mansion
HGTV is asking viewers to choose their favorite from among 11 "Homes with History," and the Robert Smalls House in Beaufort is a finalist.
The historic house, located at 511 Prince St. in The Point neighborhood, is listed for sale for $1.499 million, according to the Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates website.
The home was built in 1843, according to documents related to its historic landmark status.
Smalls is known as a former slave who became a Civil War hero and congressman who returned after the war to buy his former master’s house.
It is believed that Smalls was born on the property in 1839. His mother, Lydia Polite, was a slave in the home owned by John McKee.
Smalls famously captained a commandeered Confederate ship through Charleston Harbor and into Union hands. After serving the Union during the Civil War, Smalls returned to Beaufort, bought McKee’s former house in a tax sale and was elected to Congress.
The home's interior has been modernized with granite counters and a large island in the kitchen, a Viking six-burner gas range and a subzero refrigerator.
The home has four bedrooms, five full bathrooms and six fireplaces.
The nearly half-acre property includes a two-story guest cottage with a full kitchen. Previous owners built the guest house behind the home after an archaeological survey identified the footprint of a historic structure.
Wide porches overlook a landscaped garden.
The home most recently sold for $1.2 million in 2012, according to property records.
A federal townhouse at 13 E. York St. in Savannah also is among the historic homes featured. The three-story building, built in 1853, is nearly 4,000 square feet and is listed for $1.475 million.
“I am excited for the world to see the beauty and charm of Historic Savannah and the South Carolina Lowcountry and how we preserve nostalgic classic architecture without sacrificing modern conveniences," Cora Bett Thomas said in a news release.
Eighty-eight homes are featured in eight categories in the HGTV Ultimate House Hunt — Historic Homes, Amazing Kitchens, Curb Appeal, Extreme Homes, Global Homes, Modern Masterpieces, Urban Digs and Waterfront Homes.
To tour the homes being highlighted by HGTV, visit hgtv.com and click on Ultimate House Hunt and then Homes with History.
Participants may vote once per day in each category. Voters will be entered in a sweepstakes to win $10,000. The contest ends at 5 p.m. July 17.
This story was originally published June 16, 2018 at 7:00 AM with the headline "HGTV features this historic home in Beaufort. Look inside the $1.499M mansion."