Portsmouth Village’s last male resident sold his island home but never left

Portsmouth Village, an 18th-century settlement, saw its final male resident Henry Pigott live out his life. Pigott sold his ancestral home to the government for Cape Lookout National Seashore. He retained a life estate, allowing him to remain until his death in 1971. After Pigott’s passing, the remaining residents departed, leaving the village completely empty. The historic district now serves as a preserved museum of coastal history.