Get a side of history when you dine at Bernardin’s. The upscale restaurant is located in the oldest home in the former town of Winston. We’re dishing on the unique history of the Zevely House.
Labor of love
Master cabinetmaker Van Neman Zevely built the two-story, Flemish bond brick house in 1815. Its location is part of what makes its origin interesting. Although Zevely and his beloved, Johanna Shober, were members of the Moravian congregation, the elders in Salem refused to approve their request to marry. They said their vows anyway. Because doing so meant they could not live in Salem, Shober’s father offered the couple 160 acres of land north of the community, near Peters Creek.
At the time it was built, the house was in the woods outside of Winston, but railroad expansion and the growing tobacco industry extended town boundaries. The house ended up along Old Town Road — which eventually became Oak Street — north of West 7th Street. Johanna died in 1921 and Zevely eventually moved back to Salem, but kept the home until 1859, when it changed hands.
Moving day
More than a century later, the house was in danger of falling into disrepair, so two couples decided to save the house. The price tag of the home? $15,000. In September 1974, the building was loaded onto steel beams and moved to a half-acre lot on the corner of 4th and Summit streets. It took seven hours and several tight squeezes to complete the journey.
The home became The Zevely House Restaurant after undergoing renovations. The interior and exterior of the main section of the house were restored. A front porch and rear shed wing were added. It opened in 1975 and became a Local Historic Landmark the following year.
The restaurant became Bernadin’s in 2010. Today you can enjoy cocktails and crafted dishes in the restaurant’s private dining room or covered outdoor patio. The fine dining spot is open for dinner Monday through Saturday 5-8:30 p.m.
