The Soundfront Inn sure would be a dream to own! The history is pretty amazing! Built in 1828. Located on two waterfront acres in Ocracoke, North Carolina. Amazing views of Pamlico Sound. It was built by Elisha Chase for his wife and himself. His wife was the granddaughter of the colonial owner of Ocracoke. Her grandfather was William Howard, a quarter master for Blackbeard! The Bragg family purchased the home in 1868 and they turned it into an inn in the early 1900s. It functioned as an inn until 1971. It is one of the oldest homes on Ocracoke Island. It is currently a very successful vacation rental. 4,400 square feet. $2,000,000
From the Preservation North Carolina listing:
The Chase – Bragg – Boos House (Soundfront Inn), built in 1828, is an impressively large, two story, double-piled, hip-roofed frame house, sited on a large parcel with a commanding view of Pamlico Sound.
The house was built by Elisha Chase on a parcel of “3 acres m/l” (currently 2 acres after a will dispersal), as a home for himself and his wife. She was the granddaughter of William Howard, the colonial owner of Ocracoke – and quarter master for Blackbeard–who narrowly missed his employer’s fate by getting pardoned just two weeks before Blackbeard’s crew was captured and slaughtered!
Ironically, the house has a commanding view, across the property’s 300 ft beach, of Teach’s Hole channel where Blackbeard met his fate in 1718, and most afternoons now, a view of a glorious sunset to the west over neighboring Portsmouth Island.
The property was eventually sold to the Bragg family in 1868, and became an inn in the early 1900’s, until Gary Bragg sold the property to Warwick T. and Margurette Vise Boos in 1951. They named it the Soundfront Inn and operated it as such until the 1970’s. One of the oldest houses on the island, and certainly one of the oldest inns, it is truly one of a kind on Ocracoke.
The house is clad in German-lap siding, has vintage 2/2 sashes, and has a rear ell that appears to be early construction. The full facade, hipped front porch holds eight rockers and an antique traditional Ocracoke porch swing. There is also a two story flat roofed sleeping porch that has been enclosed with plenty of windows for a view of the sound. The house is turn key ready and has had regular and diligent maintenance over its lifetime. The historical aspects of the home are largely intact, with the home being primarily constructed of Southern long-leaf heart pine. Trim, windows, staircase, and floors are mostly original.
It is now a highly successful vacation rental home with a cash flow which sustains it.
The Soundfront Inn is under protective covenants held by Preservation North Carolina. Please contact Dawn Williams at [email protected] or 919-832-3652 x221 to request a copy of these covenants.
More pictures and information can be found at ocracokeislandrealty.com and house number CR34.
To contact the owner please email questions or interest to: [email protected].
Let them know you saw it on Old House Life!
