A major piece of riverfront property is on the market in Beaufort County, but local preservationists are worried that centuries of North Carolina history could be sold off with it. The property is known as Archbell Point—nearly 1,800 acres of shoreline along the Pamlico River and Bath Creek. It’s currently owned by the fertilizer giant Nutrien and is listed for $17.5 million.
But the Historic Bath Foundation says this land is more than just real estate. They believe the tract holds remnants of Native American villages and early colonial plantations that could qualify for the National Register of Historic Places.
Foundation President Seth Effron told the Washington Daily News that the organization reached out to Nutrien last summer, asking the company to separate the historically significant areas from the sale. So far, they haven't received a response.
The Foundation’s goal is to ensure anyone buying the land understands its archaeological importance before the deal is done.
