1 May 2008

Refurbishment of a house brings back history in Utila

The building was painted several times but the owners attempted to preserve as many of its original componets as possible. The door, window hardware and fencing is original. The new additions include Honduran pine floors and metal sheet roofing. Some of the old wood was re-used to build furniture in the building. One of the island's last remaining wooden water tanks stands outside the house. The cedar tank was donated by Ms. Libby Bodden and is held together by three metal braces and a coat of fiber glass. Still leaning six inches towards the sea, the house is full of unique historical construction components like the dove-tailed woodwork made by a joiner, wooden dowels covering the square and original nails. A bonded metal beam held a signature of Samuel Warren and a date, 1864 in chalk. The signature denotes moving from the Cays re-assembling the house in East Harbour. After a lapse of 20 – 30 years, most likely following a hurricane in 1864, the house was moved. According to Tony Pacatte, most people think it is Victorian but it is actually a French Colonial building. The two storeyed building with a wrap around porch is a typical feature of the French Colonial architecture. Pacatte states that some of its wood may be around 200 or perhaps 250 years old.

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