Turn off of Camp Leach Road, onto Duck Creek Road, drive aways and you’ll see a sign that reads “Dead End Road.” It’s not quite accurate. Rather, the pavement turns to a gravel and dirt track veering sharply to the left. On the right is the Pamlico River and the mouth of Duck Creek.

It’s not a neighborhood. It’s more a collection of houses; some are river cottages reminiscent of a bygone era. Others are more recently built permanent homes.

Just like this lane of waterfront houses, the house at 38 Captain Tom Road is a blend of old and new. Built in 2001, it’s 1,260 square feet, encompassing three bedrooms and an open living room/kitchen area leading onto an expansive deck shared by equal parts shade and sun, and plenty of seating.

“When you’re on that deck, you don’t see anything but the river. Of course, that’s the first thing you see when you walk in the front door,” said Century 21 The Realty Group realtor Alexis Davis.

From the moment a visitor walks in the front door, the view dominates: a straight shot down a short hall, out the living room’s picture windows to a wide river. But if you can drag your gaze away from all that sky and water, what you’ll find is a truly charming river house that bridges the past and the present. The floors are wide, reclaimed heart pine; the ceiling made of cypress. The 200-year-old antique front door makes a stately first impression, the warmth of natural wood throughout the house makes the welcome a warm one.

“The fact that you have this almost mountain-cabin feel inside — it’s not the typical beach colors and beach aesthetic — it just feels more like a real house,” Davis said.

It’s a real house in which space is used wisely. A kitchen island comfortably seats six for meals. The chandelier above the island also doubles as a pot rack, and a farmhouse sink creates more space for the wood countertops. Everything is oriented toward the view of the river, including the master bedroom, where more picture windows and a separate entrance to the deck await.

But there’s more than the river view than meets the eye.

“The details on this house are so special. It’s just a better quality than you usually find in something that’s stuck down a little dirt road on the river,” Davis said.

There’s a stained glass piece built into the hallway wall, another antique piece — this one a 200-year-old restored mantelpiece — frames a gas stove heater. Light switch plates are hand-painted and a ceiling fan made of canvas and what appear to be fishing rods makes an artistic statement even as it stirs river breezes.

Downstairs, an outdoor shower awaits those coming in from the new dock and pier and a day spent on the river. It’s a gem, according to Davis, and at $284,500, it’s a rare find on the waterfront in Beaufort County.

For more information about 38 Captain Tom Drive, call Alexis Davis at 252-381-0283.