New Lease on Life

The “newest” building in the Wrightsville Beach historic square is the Ewing-Bordeaux Cottage, but it is not new at all. The 1924-era house, moved onto the square at 303 West Salisbury St. in January 2018 from its original location at 405 N. Lumina Ave., was built as a summer-only beach cottage and was one of just six cottages that survived the Great Fire of 1934.

Much needed upgrades after the move included the HVAC systems, rewiring and replumbing, and interior sprucing. It was elevated on the new site, not unlike the headquarters for the N.C. Coastal Federation also located in the historic square enclave in the refurbished Palmgren-O’Quinn Cottage that was moved to the site by barge and over land in 2013.

Closed in January, the Ewing-Bordeaux Cottage opened again with limited hours in February. It houses some of the Wrightsville Beach Museum of History’s exhibits moved from the historic 1907 Myers Cottage, where they were displayed since the museum opened in 1995.

The Myers Cottage continues to be the snapshot of early beach living, focused on porch life. Bev Holt, museum volunteer and weekly docent, says “the Bordeaux has a lot of fresh exhibits.”

 With polished wood floors and fresh white walls, the Bordeaux houses a chronological journey through the history of Wrightsville Beach — enhanced with early photos, video, and special memorabilia from the museum’s collection. The history is wide, from Captain Kidd, Joshua Wright, the early cottages, and a timeline of war on the coast from Civil War blockade runners to World War II German U-boats. Well-lit rooms house displays with education on Trouble the Whale, the Lumina Pavilion, Jim Crow Era, Shell Island Beach and the fire of 1934.

“Special attention is given to significant and interesting artifacts of rich beach history,” Holt says. 

These include early surfboards, water skis, Simmons boats, and articles of early bathing attire in the history of swimsuits exhibit. 

Also significant is the permanent home of the Waterman Hall of Fame, with its displays of all the activities connected to living on the water. The room celebrates water sports and professions that are so important in the community and honors those who make positive contributions to the way of life at the beach.