Belfont Plantation House
Why it's listed
Belfont Plantation House is a two-story frame dwelling with an attic, reached by a long sandy drive near Latham in Beaufort County. Its most striking feature is a massive chimney composition on the north side: two double-shouldered Flemish bond chimneys joined by a brick pent and rising from an English bond foundation. A similar arrangement appears at the Palmer-Marsh House in Bath, but Belfont appears to be later. The interior keeps a simple, robust Georgian finish, including raised-panel wainscoting, built-in presses and an enclosed stair with a handsome turned balustrade. Deed records suggest William Lanier built the house after buying the 300-acre tract in 1753. His son sold it in 1797 to Reading Blount, who had served as a captain and major in the Continental Army and was a founding member of the North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati. A smokehouse and family cemetery also remain. The property was listed chiefly for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the most interesting eighteenth-century dwellings in northeastern North Carolina, with a restrained Georgian finish preserved throughout. Its pair of double-shouldered Flemish bond chimneys joined by a two-story brick pent is unusual in the state and relates to the Palmer-Marsh House in Bath. It is also tied to Reading Blount, a Revolutionary War officer in Washington's main army, who bought it in 1797.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76001305, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Latham on SR 1411, Latham |
|---|---|
| County | Beaufort County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001305 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architect / builder | Probably built by William Lanier after 1753 (not confirmed) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Georgian with Victorian elements |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rated in good condition and described as having few later alterations; the property remains in residential use and has stayed in the Hodges family since 1860. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 35.61846, -77.13688 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76001305.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17985819
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.