Palmer-Marsh House
About this property
The Palmer-Marsh House is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark on Main Street south of Carteret Street in Bath, North Carolina. Built in 1744, it is one of the oldest residences in North Carolina, and is a well-preserved example of a large colonial town house with a commercial space built in. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970. It is now a North Carolina state historic site, and is open for tours. The Palmer-Marsh House is located in the center of Bath, on the east side of South Main Street just south of its junction with Carteret Street (North Carolina Highway 92). It is a 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof, clapboard siding, and a brick-faced foundation. It is oriented facing south, with a seven-bay facade that has a center entrance with minimal trim. The other facades have secondary entrances at their centers. The secondary entrance on the street-facing west side opens into a large chamber that extends the full depth of the house, with a parlor and study continuing across the front. The interior retains some original features, including wide pine floors and exposed timber framing. The house was built in 1744 by Michael Coutanch, who used the large western room as a shop. In later years this space is also said to have played host to the colonial legislature when it met in Bath. In the 1760s it was purchased by Robert Palmer, who served as the royal collector of the port, and was on the governor's council. In 1802 the house was purchased by brothers Jonathan and Daniel Gould Marsh, whose family owned it until 1915. It underwent restoration by Historic Bath in 1960–62, and was given to the state in 1963; it has served as a museum property ever since. List of National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina National Register of Historic Places listings in Beaufort County, North Carolina Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. NC-310, "Palmer-Marsh House, Main Street, Bath, Beaufort County, NC", 11 photos, 3 data pages, 1 photo caption page Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. NC-311, "Palmer-Marsh Smokehouse, Main Street, Bath, Beaufort County, NC", 2 photos, 2 data pages, 1 photo caption page
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Palmer-Marsh House
This page lists Palmer-Marsh House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Palmer-Marsh House listed on the National Register?
Palmer-Marsh House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 25, 1970.
What type of historic resource is Palmer-Marsh House?
Palmer-Marsh House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Palmer-Marsh House a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Palmer-Marsh House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Palmer-Marsh House?
The period of significance for Palmer-Marsh House is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Palmer-Marsh House?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Palmer-Marsh House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Beaufort County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Beaufort County.
Explore BeaufortCounty ›More historic places in North Carolina
Browse all historic places in North Carolina.
View North Carolinahistoric sites ›North Carolina history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
North Carolinahistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Palmer-Marsh House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.