Sanders Cabin

The Britt Sanders Cabin was moved to its present location on the Shaw House grounds in Southern Pines, North Carolina, from rural northern Moore County in 1952.

It was in a state of advanced deterioration with damaged logs, crumbled roof and a fallen chimney. It took love and determination to raise the money to move it and restore it.

Built in the late 1700s by Britt Sanders, whose family consisted of a wife and 10 children, it is a fine example of the early Sandhills settlers' one-room cabins.

It is of typical Scot-German construction with hewn logs and half dove-tailed notches producing a solid and durable dwelling. There were no windows in the original cabin and the floor was of red clay.

The sleeping loft upstairs is typical; the main floor provided space for living, sleeping, cooking, washing and weaving.

Interior of the Britt Sanders Cabin Notable are the sand hearth for cooking, the crusie lamp hanging by the fireplace and the antique candle molds. The old trammel by the fireplace is designed to hang inside the chimney on an iron pole, which was inserted during construction.

The loom was necessary for a family, as everything must be hand made and cloth was a precious commodity.

The beautiful chimney of native river rock is protected from the elements by a wide overhang. Chinking originally was a mixture of mud, clay and hair and had to be replaced yearly. Yards in the early Sandhills were swept clean as a daily chore, both to keep down fires and as a matter of neatness.

The entire family worked together and "recreational" activities for the children largely consisted of learning skills. It was a hard existence by our standards, but it was by no means a drab one. The family provided stability and was a cohesive factor in the life of the early settlers.

The Britt Sanders Cabin is located at the Shaw House properties and is open to visitors as an historic site. The Shaw House properties are located at 110 Morganton Road, at the intersection of Morganton Road and SW Broad Street in Southern Pines, NC. Please see our Home Page for hours of operation.

Questions? E-mail us at moorehistory@connectnc.net or call (910) 692-2051.

MooreHistory.com developed by Internet Photojournalist John W. Myers