An old house at the site of the former Hicks Wharf in Cardinal has gotten a major facelift from its new owners, Bert and Diane Cole.Bert Cole, who came to Mathews from Shenandoah in March 2023 and lived in an on-site trailer as he renovated the newly-purchased home, said he destroyed the house and redid it.“I tore it all apart—took it down to the studs,” he said. “I hauled off seven 30-yard dumpsters of plaster and lath.”The plaster was in such bad shape it couldn’t be saved, he said, and there was no trim to hold onto. All 33 of the windows had to be replaced, and he elevated the home, he said, so it’s now 38 inches higher than before.But Bert didn’t want to take away all of the home’s historic character. Hicks Wharf was one of the last wharfs used during the steamboat era, and he said the house, situated at the end of the road, was built for the owner’s son, who was returning home from the Civil War. It has been used variously as an oyster house, a post office, a store, and other bus...