Elmwood 1820's story began in the late 1820s, when Colonel Joshua Tayloe built the home on a 248-acre estate just west of the newly incorporated town of Washington.
Tayloe was a prominent merchant, owner of the Washington Steam Mill, and later served as a North Carolina state senator. As Washington grew into one of eastern North Carolina's most important river ports, Elmwood reflected the prosperity and ambition of the community around it.
In 1855, businessman James Redding Grist purchased the home, one of Beaufort County's wealthiest residents. Under Grist's ownership, Elmwood underwent a remarkable transformation. What had begun as a modest Greek Revival residence was expanded into the grand Italianate home visitors see today, complete with sweeping verandas, towering Corinthian columns, and the dramatic circular staircase.
Like many historic Southern homes, Elmwood witnessed the defining events of the Civil War. Members of the Washington Grays gathered here before departing for service, and after Union forces occupied Washington in 1862, the house served as Union headquarters—known as Camp Ceres—and later as a wartime hospital.
Despite the upheaval of war, the Grist family remained connected to the property for decades before it changed hands several times during the early twentieth century. In 1912, George Hackney relocated the house to its present location, where Main Street was later extended, and the surrounding neighborhood gradually developed around it.
Today, Elmwood continues its story as one of Washington's most distinctive historic homes. Carefully preserved while thoughtfully updated for modern travelers, the house invites guests to experience nearly two centuries of history—not as museum visitors, but as welcomed guests.
From its handcrafted architectural details to its gracious verandas and welcoming spaces, every stay is part of the next chapter in Elmwood 1820's story.
