National Trust leaders are completing the purchase of the McKee-Smalls House from Billy and Paul Keyserling. The property at 511 Prince Street is best known as the home of Robert Smalls, Captain of the Planter, US Congressman, Lowcountry businessman and Collector of the Port of Beaufort.
Historic Beaufort Foundation’s protective easement on the McKee-Smalls House (Robert Smalls House) in Beaufort’s National Historic Landmark District will carry over to its new owners, the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“We look forward to working cooperatively with the National Trust to ensure the easement donors’ intent is honored and respected,” said Cynthia Jenkins, executive director of Historic Beaufort Foundation.
The Conservation and Preservation Easement of what was once Robert Smalls house protects the exterior architectural integrity of the house and grounds as well as ensuring the house remains a private residence while allowing some public access, according to the easement terms and the intentions of the easement donor.
The Historic Beaufort Foundation has held the preservation and conservation easement on the McKee-Smalls House for more than 21 years.
The sale of the property brings new opportunities for positive conversations about the ways the two preservation organizations can work together to resolve concerns in the best interests of the neighborhood and National Landmark Historic district.
“We appreciate this opportunity to work with the National Trust in helping to resolve the public access concerns within the legal framework available to us as the easement holder,” said Rob Montgomery, Chairman of the HBF Board of Trustees.
As part of the purchase from the Keyserling brothers, the National Trust will work with the Historic Beaufort Foundation to maintain the home’s architectural integrity, resolve issues related to making the property publicly accessible, and continue its use as a private residence as required by the easement.
Robert Smalls was born into slavery in Beaufort County, became a Civil War hero, was elected to the US Congress and in his later years served as Collector of the Port of Beaufort. His offices as both a Congressman and Collector of the Port were in what is now known as the Thomas Law building but was then the Customs House (920 Bay Street) in downtown Beaufort.
HBF has been the proud steward of the desk used by Robert Smalls in his Bay Street office. The desk, which is on exhibit in the John Mark Verdier House, has been on loan to HBF from the Kinghorn family since 1984.
David and Marilyn Atwell donated the property easement to HBF in 2002 to “assist in preserving and maintaining the premises and its architectural, historical and cultural features,” according to the legal document, and to ensure that the home would be used only as a residence.
Historic Beaufort Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit education foundation created to preserve, protect, and present sites and artifacts of historic, architectural, and cultural interest throughout Beaufort County, South Carolina. For more information on the entity’s mission and history, please visit historicbeaufort.org and follow them on social media, including Facebook and Instagram.
