The Haunted History of the Elizabeth Inn — the Sabiston House, Beaufort, North Carolina

On a low, salt-brushed street in Beaufort where gulls wheel overhead and the bay breathes against old pilings, there stands a white clapboard home whose porches remember more than rocking chairs. Locals know it as the Elizabeth Inn. Historians and storytellers call it the Sabiston House. Ghost hunters just call it restless.

This is the long, creaking tale of that house — part history, part rumor, part shadow.

Bones of the House: What We Can Trace

The house known today as the Elizabeth Inn (and in earlier historic records as the Sabiston House) is tied to the Sabiston family and is believed to date to the mid-19th century. In recent decades it operated for a time as an inn before returning to private ownership. Its age, location in Beaufort’s historic district, and connection to an old local family put it squarely on lists of haunted places throughout Carteret County.

The Tragedy That Gave the House Its Teeth

The Sabiston House’s haunted reputation centers on a dark local legend involving a violent killing in the early 1800s. The story most often repeated tells of a Captain Sabiston — sometimes named David — who was brutally murdered with an oar in 1811. The case led to a highly publicized trial, with an enslaved man accused, convicted, and executed.

Like many coastal legends, details shift in retellings: some versions name a different killer, emphasize injustice surrounding the trial, or interweave elements from other Sabiston family members who lived decades apart. The lines between fact, rumor, and embellishment blur easily, but the violence of the story made it unforgettable — and folklore naturally attached it to the house still bearing the family name.

Ghostly Encounters Reported Through the Years

Stories collected by visitors, amateur investigators, and local guides repeat the same eerie motifs:

1. A shadowy figure in doorways, sometimes described as a man in old seafaring clothes, other times an indistinct presence trailing behind guests.
2. Sudden cold pockets in warm rooms, especially near old stairwells or the waterfront-facing side.
3. Footsteps along the porch when no one is outside, or the soft thud of a shutter even on still nights.
4. Objects shifting, beds disturbed, and the faint sense of someone pacing a room after midnight.

Whether you interpret these as supernatural events or the natural creaks of an antique home, the stories endure — and multiply.

Why Beaufort Keeps the Story Alive

1. Maritime Towns Remember Dramatically

Beaufort’s long history of shipwrecks, sea captains, and public justice sets the stage for stories steeped in violence and tragedy. The Sabiston legend fits perfectly into this older coastal narrative.

2. Tourism Feeds on Folklore

Ghost walks and haunted-history tours weave the Sabiston House into their scripts, ensuring the tale is passed to each generation of visitors.

3. The Sabiston Name Echoes Through Time

Multiple Sabistons lived in Beaufort over many decades. Their recurring names and occupations complicate the historical picture, but they also help the legend stick to the house like sea mist on a window.

Reading a Haunted House: With Curiosity and Care

Haunted houses are best approached with a dual mindset:

1. Skeptical enough to appreciate the gaps in the record.
2. Respectful enough to understand the human stories behind the legends — including the very real violence and injustice experienced by enslaved people whose lives often appear only in trial notes and rumors.

Folklore can entertain, but it can also preserve uncomfortable truths.

For the Curious Visitor

If you’re drawn to Beaufort and want to explore its haunted history:

Walk the Historic District by Day

You’ll get a feel for the architecture, the town’s maritime layout, and the quiet corners where stories linger.

Join a Guided Ghost Walk

Local guides often pair folklore with verified history, giving you the town’s full emotional range — not just the chills.

Respect Private Property

The Elizabeth Inn/Sabiston House has not always been open to the public. Admire from the street unless invited in.

The Allure of a Haunted Home

The Elizabeth Inn endures in Beaufort’s imagination because haunted houses do what good stories always do: they keep the past breathing. They remind us that behind every creak and every legend is a town’s attempt to make sense of its own memory — the beautiful, the tragic, and the unresolved.