In 1967, Henry Pigott sold his North Carolina island home to help create national seashore

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.