The founding date of the Beaufort Historical Association, Inc. was January 25, 1960, according to the incorporation certificate on file in the County Register of Deeds office. The incorporators were Paul S. Jones, C. Odell Merrill, W. Roy Hamilton, Grayden M. Paul, and Myrtle Duncan, who by a later marriage became Myrtle Duncan Sutton. The certificate of incorporation was filed with Thad Eure, secretary of state, Raleigh, February 4, 1960. Odell Merrill was named head of the association. . . .
In 1961, a contract was signed with Grayden Paul,
concerning his operation of Alphonso, which he had converted into a
"Museum of the Sea." In December of 1963, a decision was made to
mount a major fund-raising drive for "The Beaufort Restoration." . . .
A brochure noted, The Beaufort Restoration is a plan to set up, near the downtown area of Beaufort, a group of old Beaufort houses and shops. It will recreate a portion of the town as it would have appeared to the seafaring men of the 1700s as they sailed through Old Beaufort Inlet. The area which has been selected includes the center of Old Town, originally the site of the market place and the stage coach stop from New Bern. . . .
A brochure noted, The Beaufort Restoration is a plan to set up, near the downtown area of Beaufort, a group of old Beaufort houses and shops. It will recreate a portion of the town as it would have appeared to the seafaring men of the 1700s as they sailed through Old Beaufort Inlet. The area which has been selected includes the center of Old Town, originally the site of the market place and the stage coach stop from New Bern. . . .
