Rare, 1840s Johnston County cottage saved from demolition. Who rescued it?
.jpg "The Alfred Altman House, at 83 Massengill Road in Benson, roughly 43 miles south of Raleigh, has been saved from demolition and is being relocated.")
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Michelle Bowers and Luke Ramsey agreed to relocate and restore the 1840s Altman House.
- Dismantling proceeds piece by piece; house moved 103 miles for reassembly.
- House retains rare Georgian and Federal woodwork; preservation easement planned.
A rare 1840s “coastal cottage,” once considered Johnston County’s “most lavishly decorated,” has been saved from demolition.
In the 11th hour, a pair of well-known preservationists stepped up to rescue the Alfred Altman House at 83 Massengill Road in Benson — just a day before its already-extended Feb. 1 deadline, after which it was slated to be torn down.
Michelle Bowers from Cary and Luke Ramsey from Wingina, Virginia, have agreed to relocate and restore the 1,300-square-foot relic and two early outbuildings, land not included. (Preservation NC waived the $10,000 price tag because the agreement with the property’s owner expired.)
Both are known for their work with historic homes: Bowers as the creator of Old House Life, a major social‑media and blog platform dedicated to historic homes and preservation; and Ramsey, as the owner of Ramsey Restoration Inc.
On Wednesday, Bowers told The N&O that the house is being dismantled — “piece by piece, board by board” — and relocated about 103 miles northwest to Bulluck in Granville County, where she owns an 1800s general store and cottage on a vacant one-acre lot.
“I bought [them] because the offer was too good to refuse. Now it all makes sense! The Altman House will be such a great fit,” she said.
“I would joke to Luke, ‘I want to create a village.’ So here we are.”
a.jpg "Alfred Altman House-Archival Photo 1982 (12)a.jpg")
Initially, Cathleen Turner, regional director at Preservation NC, had hoped to keep the house in Johnston County. But in the end, she celebrated the outcome.
“We’re absolutely delighted,” she said, adding the nonprofit hopes to place a preservation easement on it “once it’s relocated and reassembled on its new location.”
Todd Johnson, Johnston County Heritage Center’s executive director, also supported the move: “It has escaped the scrap pile and will be lovingly preserved in our ‘twin county,’ which bears the same birthdate as Johnston County.”
‘An irreplaceable historic relic’
The Alfred Altman House has already been relocated and saved once. In 2008, preservationists moved the house from its original Newton Grove site to where it currently rests in Benson, roughly 43 miles south of Raleigh.
And for almost 18 years, it’s stood abandoned on block piers, waiting to be relocated to a permanent site, slowly crumbling.
The chimneys and a portion of the clapboards have been removed, and most of the roof tin has blown off.
Last November, Johnston County Heritage Center and Preservation Johnston County teamed up with Preservation NC to save what they call an “irreplaceable historic asset.”
They listed the property and even secured a one-month extension to better their chances.
Alfred Altman, a farmer, built the house in the 1840s on land inherited from his father. He and his wife, Elizabeth Jernigan, raised their six children there, including two sons who served in the Civil War, records show.
Despite some weather damage, the house remains in “remarkable condition.”
History buffs say its appeal lies in its remarkably intact interior, including ornate Georgian and Federal-style woodwork, deep recessed porches, and intricate paintwork. It offers five rooms on the first floor and two rooms on the second floor, along with an enclosed staircase featuring “colorful marbleized door panels, wainscot, and stair risers.”
Other original components, like the round-porch railings and porch posts, early kitchen and smokehouse, have been retained for re-installation.
Once on its new foundation, with water, sewer and septic in place, a complete rehabilitation will be required, including all new systems — electrical, plumbing, HVAC— plus updated kitchen and baths.
The house will be “saved, studied, and rebuilt with care,” Bowers said on a Feb. 2 Facebook post. She also promised regular updates.
“These buildings have survived generations. We refuse to be the ones who let them disappear,” she said.
This story was originally published February 4, 2026 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Rare, 1840s Johnston County cottage saved from demolition. Who rescued it?."
