William Borden House-Structural Elements

The William Borden House, built as a summer home, was originally only one room deep, just two stories high and seven feet narrower on the west side. It is thought that a porch ran along the westerly wall.

The interior staircase started at the rear of the house and twisted up under the attic stairs which still remain intact today.

The door going into the attic predates the house, as does its unique wooden lock. It was probably the front door of an earlier house and is called a “spirit door” because of the cross and open Bible design.

The rafters of the roof were held together with pegs of wood, or trunnels (which derived from the words—tree-nail. The use of the trunnels, which allowed for structural flexing and movement, has made this home and many others in Beaufort able to withstand the winds of hurricanes for over two hundred years.

During the Federal period, perhaps as the result of profits made in the War of 1812, the house was enlarged with two more rooms downstairs and upstairs. One will note the difference in the floor and ceiling levels. It was at this time that the house was also made wider on the west side. During the 1985 restoration termite-damaged parts of the classic Beaufort mantles and woodwork were replaced with hand-carved and hand-planed pieces made from 200 year old heart pine. The craftsmen who worked on the restoration were local carpenters and boat builders.

In the 1880’s the building was again enlarge—this time with the addition of the first floor wind that now houses The Cedars restaurant kitchen. At that time the two story Greek revival-style porch on the front of the building was added and the weather-boarding was completely replaced. Also during the renovation the original plaster ceilings were replaced with the present wainscoting.

Early in the twentieth century the second story and the upper back porch were added and later still—a four-room apartment at the north side of the building was built.

During World War II the Cherry Point Marine Base came into being. Since there was no housing for the many men moving into the area, many houses in Beaufort were turned into apartments, as was the Borden House. At this time the house had two front doors and two narrow hallways. An upstairs room was turned into a kitchen. It remained that way until its renovation in the early 1980’s.

In more recent renovations, the grounds and gardens were completely redone. Brick paths and walkways were laid using antique brick from the old jail house in New Bern. Shrubs and trees indigenous to the North Carolina seacoast were also planted, as well as flowers and herbs. The front steps on both 301 and 305 Front Street were redesigned to match existing porches. The newel posts, balusters and balustrades were hand carved.

As one walks around the grounds, one will notice the ballast-stone foundation on the main portion of the Borden structure. There is little or no rock in Carteret County—stones used in early construction were brought from all parts of the world as ballast in the ships trading here at that time. Some of the stones in the foundation and chimney bases of The Cedars have fossils or coral—indicating that they may have come from the West Indies or Africa.