Additional Features The structure gets its name from the four large verandas with white rails, from which it is pleasant to watch people go by on a sleepy afternoon.

(March 2008) The Verandas, a Wilmington, N.C. bed and breakfast, looks from a distance like a nice, stately old home, white and crisp in the afternoon sun. It is only when you walk up to it that its very large size and scale are apparent, starting with a wide brick front steps and full-length veranda and four story height.

The front verandas are supported by six matching columns. Its green enameled verandas alone have as much square footage as some small homes.

Hard to believe it once was an ugly burned-out shell.

Its rescue came in 1995 when Chuck Pennington, a commercial real estate manager, and Dennis Madsen, an interior designer for a Washington, D.C. architectural firm, took a big gamble and purchased the burned-out 1854 vintage, Italianate house.

This saved it from a scheduled demolition but it was a long way from the AAA four-diamond rating it would one day earn.

RESTORATION
Situated just two blocks from the Cape Fear River in Wilmington, NC's historic district, the 8,500-square-foot, four-story ante-bellum home would have been daunting to anyone, but Madsen and Pennington saw potential in the place for a luxury bed and breakfast inn. They had been searching for a place with good size in a top tourist location. At least it had that going for it.

Another plus was that the exterior, which survived the fire, had been constructed by ship builders who used mortise-and-tenon style construction techniques that they used in building seaworthy craft for the owner, a sea captain and shipbuilder, in 1854.

The nearly two-foot thick exterior walls are very strong. And the ceilings are 12-and-a-half-feet tall on the first floor, 10 and a half on the second, and 9 and a half on the third floor. It also has a large cupola atop the third floor with 9 feet ceilings from which there is a spectacular view of the Wilmington historic district. There are eight one-bedroom units and a designated smoking area.

The men borrowed money to supplement funds they had. But they found that the place was a bottomless money pit, and several times they almost despaired of finishing the project. At one point, Pennington said he was in the depths of despair about the place when a friend voluntarily, without prompting, provided a substantial cash infusion. Time and again, he said, the money came almost miraculously as if the project had a life of its own.

They found that the floors, which had survived, were made of virgin growth heart pine. The entrance to the eight-bedroom home is paneled in curly heart pine, a rare wood that looks almost like curly maple at first glance. The massive doors have a faux finish that looks like curly maple.

The foyer floor is black and white marble in a diagonal pattern.

The Verandas does not do weddings so guests never have worry about competing with a wedding party to get to their rooms.

The original owner of the house was Captain Benjamin Beery, who owned a ship-building company on nearby Eagles Island. They built blockade runners during the Civil War and it is thought that Jefferson Davis once stayed in Beery's home. Davis appointed Beery a captain in the Confederate Navy.

The first-floor walls in the structure are constructed of Philadelphia brick. The rest of the structure was made of virgin growth heart pine. Early builders liked heart pine because it not only did not rot due to high resin content, and termites shunned it for the same reason.

VERANDAS
The structure gets its name from the four large verandas with white rails, from which it is pleasant to watch people go by on a sleepy afternoon.

When Union troops approached Wilmington, Beery burned his shipyards and he and his family moved to Laurinburg until he was pardoned after the Civil War. The house was used as a hospital by invading northern troops. The original living room furniture is now owned by the Cape Fear Museum.

Today the address is 202 Nun St. The street was named for the nuns who ran the hospital for the Union troops after the Civil War.

The house, where rates for one night start at $189 and go to $269, is elegantly furnished. It is a fascinating and delightful place for antique buffs. Most of its furnishings are antiques, and include a very elaborate and very large music box that uses large spinning steel discs, and still plays. The music from the big box sounds like a full orchestra, with a big sound—nothing at all like the more common tiny music boxes.

Furnishings also include a melodean that actually is more like a large wooden accordion with legs. It is played with keys while pumping up the bellows by foot power.

CANADY
In 1892, the house was bought and remodeled by William Canady, who later became sergeant of Arms for the U.S. Senate. It was during this time that two double verandas and the gingerbread Victorian trim still on the house were added.

Pennington and Madsen first saw the house in 1995, three years after its interior burned, and spent the next 18 months restoring and renovating it. It opened as a luxury B & B on Valentine’s Day in 1996.

Business has been brisk since. The two men and a small staff do all of the work, including cooking.

A recent stay in the second-floor, right front guest room was a pleasant experience. The king-sized bed's headboard was accented by a drapery valence, giving it a regal look. A large armoire held a big television set and remote, and a large oval mirror hung above the brick fireplace, which housed a dried flower arrangement.

There were authentic antique Persian rugs over stained oak floors, a decorating theme throughout the home. The high ceilings in the bedrooms– which were designed originally to dissipate the sultry heat of the South— gave the place a cathedral-like quality.

The bedrooms particularly were stately and yet inviting. All bedrooms are corner rooms, thus allowing lots of natural light.

There were several beautiful floral watercolor paintings on the walls of the bedroom. Central air-conditioning and heat are adjustable by each bedroom.

There is a full high-backed couch of apparent 1900s vintage, along with a large parlor wingback chair and matching ottoman, in one guest room and similar furniture in others. The blinds for the big windows have large wooden slats.

Each room has its own spacious private bath with marble floors, marble vanities, garden size soaking tubs and showers. Custom made lotions, shampoos and clear, glycerine soaps are in the bath along with bathrobes in the closet, and hairdryers. Each room has its own telephone. Complimentary wireless internet is available throughout the property.

PARLOR
There are two huge crystal chandeliers, one in the parlor and the other over a very large oval dining table that seated 12 with plenty of room. Pennington said the chandeliers are meticulously cleaned by hand every six months.

The house has one terrace in addition to its four verandas where guests may enjoy coffee or tea in the morning – or wine and beer in the afternoon.

In a small sitting room on the left of the foyer are many interesting pieces of furniture, including two large matching chairs covered in black and white cowhide.

Breakfast during a recent visit was one large sausage link, a large wedge of upside down banana nut cake, coffee, orange juice and fresh fruits.

Although it may sound like an odd combination, it was delicious. Other frequent breakfast servings are croissants, beer biscuits, various soufflés, country- cured bacon, and various muffins. Menus vary daily.

LOCATION
A quick walk down the street puts you on the waterfront where there are many quaint and interesting stores and shops and restaurants. Dinner at the Pilot House, one of Wilmington's best, was very good. The signature dish is sweet potato-encrusted grouper, wine of choice, and fresh vegetables. Key lime pie for dessert was equally as good.

Movie makers were filming a TV movie and a large crowd found it fun to watch. The historic district also offers carriage rides and other touristy pursuits such as walking tours. There are probably more historic marker signs in Wilmington per square mile than any other place in the nation.

The Verandas is very similar in appearance to the nearby Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts. The reason: it was designed by the same architect, James Post.

The Verandas is only a two-block walk to the Cape Fear River with all of its shops and fine restaurants. Six of the restaurants are said to be gourmet quality. It also is near the Cape Fear Museum, the USS N.C. Battleship docked in the river; Fort Fisher Aquarium, Thalian Hall and the Louis Cameron Art Museum. Some of the streets are still paved with cobblestones which were obtained from the stones used as ballast by early sailing ships.  Wrightsville Beach, one of North Carolina’s best beaches, is only a 10 minute drive.

Those who want to stay on a weekend are advised to reserve at least six weeks in advance. (Updated March 2008)

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