BEAUFORT — The Cuthbert House has stood on the corner of Bay and Church streets in Beaufort for more than 200 years, keeping watch over the Beaufort River.
The view of the river, a literal stone’s throw from its front porch, is just one of the home’s charms.
“What’s going to bring people to us is the view,” said general manager Carrie Felix. “Nowhere else in Beaufort do you have this view. But it’s also the uniqueness and the charm of this house, and there’s a rich history here that we’re able to talk about with our guests.”
Over the course of the last couple of centuries, Cuthbert House has changed hands many times and been used in a variety of ways. In 1995, it began operating as a bed-and-breakfast. Today, the Cuthbert House Inn features 10 guest rooms just steps from Beaufort’s vibrant downtown.
The latest chapter in the building’s long story opened last summer when Chris and Suzanne Ramm became Cuthbert House’s newest owners. They started their tenure by hiring two key staff members, including Felix and executive chef Mike Stewart, a Beaufort native. In December, the Ramms set about making renovations to the inn, which required that they temporarily close their doors to guests.
Several months later, the inn is preparing to welcome guests back.
“We’re very fortunate to have a huge base of repeat guests, and we are so looking forward to welcoming them back to the property,” Felix said.
Everything old is new again
The to-do list on a house that’s more than two centuries old can be never-ending. While the property was closed to guests, the staff intended to make as many updates as possible but still be open in time for the start of 2024 tourist season.
Renovations focused on updating bathrooms, converting an office to a customer-facing library and making the kitchen more guest-friendly. Other less obvious, but equally important, repairs were made as well.
The expansive view of the Beaufort River as seen from the front yard of the Cuthbert House Inn.
The guiding principle in the renovation has been to provide modern conveniences while remaining mindful of the traditional, historic charm of the house. Care, Felix said, has been taken to ensure that none of the home’s charm was compromised.
“We didn’t pull out the original windows and put in double-paned glass,” Stewart noted.
The updates in the kitchen primarily involve new appliances and equipment. The layout was designed to fit the existing space, and features like the original hardwood floors and areas of exposed brick were maintained.
Mike Stewart is the executive chef at Beaufort’s historic Cuthbert House Inn.
“We are doing a complete kitchen renovation with an eye toward the future,” Stewart explained. “When we open up, we want an emphasis on being the preeminent bed-and-breakfast in our area. We want to bring a unique, family feel to the inn.”
In his new kitchen, Stewart plans to draw on local culinary influences. He said he’ll be sourcing ingredients from local fishermen and farmers in an effort to deliver the Lowcountry experience to guests.
The inn plans to be back open in April.
“This house is so much fun. There’s a lot of charm,” Felix said.
The Cuthbert House backstory
The Cuthbert House has an unusual history. It’s thought to have been built around 1790 by James Hazzard Cuthbert, who was reportedly a veteran of the Beaufort Company during the American Revolution.
At first, the home didn’t have the view of the river for which it’s known today.
It’s believed that the Cuthbert House was originally constructed next to Wire’s Pond several blocks from its current location. Around 1810 or 1811, the house was reportedly split in two and moved to its current Bay Street location. There are two stories about why the family might have engaged in such a tremendous undertaking.
Originally built around 1790, Beaufort’s Cuthbert House, located on Bay and Church streets, now serves as a 10-room bed and breakfast with a view overlooking the Beaufort River.
The first is about mosquitoes. Ponds harbor mosquitoes, and in the late 18th century, mosquitoes were more than a nuisance. They brought disease. The Cuthbert family was allegedly plagued with illness until the house could be moved closer to the river, where breezes coming in from the ocean could keep the mosquitoes at bay.
The other story is that John Alexander Cuthbert, son of James Hazzard Cuthbert, inherited the home after his father’s death. He moved it to the Bay Street location in 1810 or 1811 as a wedding present for his bride, Mary B. Williamson. The location along the river allowed the home to catch cooling breezes to relieve summer’s sweltering temperatures.
It’s possible, of course, that elements of both stories are true. It’s equally possible that neither are true.
The house remained in the Cuthbert family until Union forces came ashore after the Battle of Port Royal in November 1861. The Cuthbert family fled ahead of the Union advance, and the house became the headquarters for Gen. Rufus Saxton. The names of soldiers who spent time in the home during the Civil War can still be seen etched into the black marble fireplace in one of the inn’s suites.
Built around 1790, the Cuthbert House on Bay Street in Beaufort was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
A delinquent tax bill totaling $56.40 forced the home into a tax sale two years later, and Saxton purchased the home at auction for $1,000. Gen. William T. Sherman is reported to have visited Saxton at the home in 1865.
Fast forward 107 or so years, and the home had been converted into apartments, its future appearing in doubt. An application to list the home on the National Register of Historic Places was made in the spring of 1972.
“The house is presently in danger of demolition,” the application stated, though the exact nature of the threat was not specified.
The building was described as a white clapboard structure built on a raised foundation with central hallways on each of its two floors, and it was described as being in good condition.
“(The) house features excellent interior and exterior woodwork and retains its original fine proportions,” reads the application in part.
Interestingly, the application makes no reference to the house having been moved. It indicates that the house was in its original location. Further, it states that John Alexander Cuthbert built the house without referencing James Hazzard Cuthbert’s involvement in the construction. In fact, the home is listed formally as the John A. Cuthbert House.
The application was approved, and the house was listed on the register in 1972.
It’s about the experience
The Cuthbert House Inn is a place where a guest can truly unwind, Stewart said, and the broad front porch looking out onto Bay Street is central to that experience.
“Having a cup of coffee, drinking tea or just enjoying the sunset on the porch — our guests just love this,” Felix said, calling the experience magical.
With 10 rooms, the inn is neither too big nor too small. Its size allows the staff to focus on service and meeting the guests’ expectations, she added.
Carrie Felix, general manager of Beaufort's historic Cuthbert House Inn.
As might be expected, a stay at the Cuthbert House Inn includes a full breakfast, an afternoon reception and sweet treats served as a nightcap in the library.
“We want to bring something to our guests that they’re not going to get anywhere else,” Stewart said. “We want to share our charm and the history of our town.”
Felix and Stewart both said they want the Cuthbert House Inn to be a stop for discerning travelers and history buffs alike. With so many opportunities within walking distance, they noted it’s possible for a guest to stay for two or three days and never have to get in their car.
“We’re not as large as Charleston. We’re not as large as Savannah. We’re a quaint, amazing town,” Felix said.
