Southport, North Carolina Historic Home is Also a Movie Star

The city of Southport, North Carolina, has been a spot for exploration since the 1500s when the Spanish landed and poked around. By the 1700s, it was founded as Smithville, after Revolutionary War colonel Benjamin Smith, who was also later governor of North Carolina.

In the late 1800s, in a bid to become a major shipping port, Smithville became Southport. And while that didn’t come to fruition, the town’s coastal charm and relaxed atmosphere made it a place to visit anyway.

A couple of decades later, the Northrup House was built. A gingerbread Victorian, the home became the backdrop (eventually) for the 1986 film “Crimes of the Heart,” starring Sissy Spacek, Diane Keaton, and Jessica Lange.

If you’ve seen the movie, you’ve seen a sneak peek at a lot of the architectural details of this home in fact, from the porches to the gazebo to the spiral staircase and stained glass.

But although the three-bedroom, three-bath home is almost 120 years old, it still has much to offer in the way of modern amenities – after all, you don’t get the title “Crown Jewel of Southport” without a lot of polish.

“This home has updated electrical, plumbing, added sky tubes, encapsulated crawlspace, Therma Tru doors and double pane plexiglass stained glass windows for more energy-efficient use,” said listing agent Keith Beatty with Intercostal Realty. “The architectural detail found in this home is incredible!”

The current owners maintained the original pressed-tin ceilings, the wainscoting and fretwork, and even the extra-large, original cast iron bathtub.

But there are also modern features as well, including four Wolf ovens, a Wolf vent hood, gourmet range, pot filler, commercial-grade and compact dishwashers, and more.

Outside, a gorgeous patio and pergola overlook a coast garden.

And if you tire of being in your historic home on its lush grounds, you’re two blocks from downtown Southport and a block away from some of the best waterfront restaurants.

The home is priced at $975,000. Want to see more of this movie star? Click here.