
The Honnet house at 322 South Front Street was built in 1881, by the area’s most prominent Jeweler and watchmaker, and it remained in the family until after World War II. Known for its enormous Ionic columns and expansive porches, pictures of this beautiful home have been used to promote the Historic District and Wilmington for years. Benjamin Moore Paints used this home as the cover photo for their Historic Paints brochure in the 1980s.
When the front door opens, one is swept into the foyer with the wide stairway taking off in front of you and the hallway alongside leading to the large kitchen in the back of the house. The spacious foyer features the elegant pier mirror ordered for the house by its original owner, George Honnet, and one cannot help but notice the unusually tall ceilings – just shy of 12 feet! On the left side of the house, framed glass sliding doors separate the front and back parlors. The dining room at the back has a recessed niche for a buffet, and the cozy living room has a fireplace with windows to either side. The kitchen and spacious breakfast room are at the back of the house along with a full bath and the back enclosed stair. Upstairs there are four bedrooms – one with access to the large balcony overlooking Front Street, and two full baths. At the back of the upstairs is a wonderful open area that would make a perfect office with windows facing the Cape Fear River featuring the nearby Battleship North Carolina, Wilmington's award-winning 2-mile long Riverwalk, numerous riverfront restaurants and magnificent sunsets. This house is being sold along with the adjacent wooded lot behind it at 25 Nun Street.