BELHAVEN — The quaint river town of Belhaven is a prime destination for boaters traveling the Intracoastal Waterway. And many of the boaters that frequent its waters know of the town’s primary landmark Riverforest Manor.

Last year, a group of investors, all of whom have ties to the town, purchased the property and commissioned contractors to renovate the manor and its grounds to become Beaufort County’s newest event venue.

Built in 1904 as a residence for original owner John Wilkinson, the manor was built with pristine craftsmanship. Italian craftsmen were called in to carve the manor’s ornate ceilings and once completed, it contained carved-oak mantles for each of its 11 fireplaces, sparkling cut-glass leaded into windows, crystal chandeliers glittering from the ceilings, tapestry placed above the mahogany wainscoting in the dining room and two grand baths that included oversized tubs for two. The exterior is antebellum, but the interior of late Victorian oak paneling illustrates the house is not, according to a past brochure from the manor.

Almost half a century later, the manor became a world famous restaurant, hotel and marina, featured by many newspapers and in National Geographic Magazine. It has attracted a lineup of famous and wealthy guests, including Jimmy Buffet, James Cagney, Burl Ives and many others, according to the brochure.

Now undergoing renovations to become an event venue, the manor will be available for rent to wedding parties, corporate outings, family and class reunions, among other gatherings, said investor Kate Brown.

“All the investors felt like it was really a landmark and something easily identifiable for the town, and it had a lot of potential,” Brown said. “But they didn’t feel like it was a hotel and restaurant like in the past. We thought it would be a great asset to operate the marina and through some discussion, we thought it would be a great place for weddings and special events.”

The investors opened the marina first — two piers and a marina office building right in the manor’s backyard. An apartment above the office was renovated, as well, as a small room for guests to rent, which includes a bathroom, private entrance and excellent view of the Pungo River and Pantego Creek, Brown said. The marina is now equipped with an 18-slip pier for long-term docking and a long pier allotted for transient boaters.

“(The marina) had been in operation for many years, and it had been closed but Belhaven is an excellent stop on the ICW so we get a lot of transient boaters,” Brown said. “So we opened the marina first and that’s kind of how we structured it, getting the marina renovated and operational and then we focused on the property.”

A bungalow, also in the manor’s backyard, provides three rooms for guests to rent, complete with exterior entrances, their own bathrooms, bedrooms and sitting area.

The manor, itself, is still undergoing renovations — exterior and interior, Brown said. The nine-room house has six upstairs bedrooms and three downstairs bedrooms. What was once a full kitchen that served the manor’s restaurant will be converted into a catering kitchen. The previous owner’s private residence within the house is being converted into the three units downstairs. And what was once a bar and restaurant area where guests indulged in beverages and conversation will become a sitting area.

Brown said the River Room, previously a lounge, will now be used for receptions and other parties, along with the outside deck of the house. However, investors have decided that those wishing to stay the night in the manor will be required to rent the entire house, according to Brown.

The investors believe the restoration of Belhaven’s over 100-year-old landmark, set to be complete in the spring of 2016, will be beneficial to the town and its economy, bringing new people in to visit and eat in local restaurants, shop at local businesses and spend much needed tourism dollars.

“We (investors) all love the town of Belhaven and want to see wonderful things happen for the town,” Brown said. “We have a tremendous sense of pride and pleasure that we’re able to bring this back to life and to see it succeed and do well.

“I think everyone is really glad to see it reopen and every single investor didn’t do this on a strictly business level. I would definitely say it’s a labor of love. I just really think it’s going to be really beautiful and a great place to have a private event or just come and visit. It’s going to be a wonderful asset to the town and something that locals and travelers will enjoy.”