By Ann Marie Byrd, Feature Writer
One of New Bern’s treasured historical homes, the Benjamin Ellis House, is celebrating its 40 year anniversary operating as a premier bed & breakfast! Owned and operated by Innkeepers Gretchen & Tracy Du Peza, the property, located at 215 Pollock Street, opened as the Harmony House Inn in 1985.
While the Inn is only 40 years old, the property itself has been a part of downtown since 1853 and has a rich history.
“Built by Benjamin Ellis–a successful businessman in the turpentine trade–the house began with just four rooms,” says Gretchen. “During the Civil War it was occupied by union soldiers, Company K out of Boston. When the family returned after the war the house was expanded on the east side in the 1860’s and again in the 1880’s. After the house passed onto the Ellis children, the property was converted from a single family home into a duplex in 1904. It is this duplex architecture of the property which gives the Inn its unique character.”
“After purchasing the Inn in 2016, we considered changing the name to honor Benjamin Ellis, the original owner of the property,” says Gretchen. “The decision to change the name of the Inn was ultimately made when Hurricane Florence hit New Bern in 2018. The sign was damaged in the storm and had to be replaced, so rather than paint the sign twice, we changed the name to Benjamin Ellis House Bed & Breakfast in autumn 2018.”
The Bed & Breakfast originally opened in 1985 as downtown New Bern was being revitalized through efforts with Swiss Bear. The original Innkeepers, the Hansons, saw an opportunity to provide a more personal travel experience for guests when staying in downtown New Bern. Since purchasing the Inn in 2016, Gretchen and Tracy have tried to continue enhancing the guest experience.
“Having stayed in Bed & Breakfasts all of our married life, all over the world, we considered running an Inn once our children were grown. New Bern was interesting to us because of the ties to Switzerland since we lived in Zurich for almost 13 years,” says Gretchen. “After several visits to New Bern, on a bit of a whim, we put an offer on the Inn which to our surprise was accepted. Suddenly, we were becoming Innkeepers with an opportunity to bring a bit of Switzerland to New Bern. Our goal is to create as the Germans say, a ‘gemuetlich’ (comfortable/relaxing/cozy) environment at the Inn. We also try to bring in some of our European experience in the breakfast menus offered. Some International favorites include: Birchermuesli, Turkey & Mushroom stuffed Crepes, Maple & Date Polenta, Hot Cross Buns, Engadine Nusstorte, or Strawberry Friands.”
Today the property includes four hallways, two staircases and two front doors opening onto an expansive front porch. With the comfortable parlor and relaxing porch, guests have places to curl up with a book and cup of tea or enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day. The four wide hallways provide multiple spaces for guest relaxation, including a reading nook, secondary sitting area, a game table and 24 hour snack and beverage station–while also creating a sound buffer between the rooms ensuring privacy and a restful get away.
The Inn has eight guest rooms, all with private baths, smart TVs, individual climate control and charging stations for smart phones and tablets. The latest technology partners gracefully with the historic charm of the property.
Renovations to the Inn in 2016 expanded the dining room and upgraded the kitchen—enabling the Inn to obtain a restaurant permit. The commercial kitchen hosts cooking classes and private Candlelight dinners not only to guests at the Inn, but also to local residents. The Inn also offers special public events, such as Mother’s Day Tea and a Christmas Open House, as well as private catered events including birthday celebrations, wedding or baby showers, corporate team meetings or other business events.
In addition to providing a premier guest experience for travelers to New Bern, Gretchen and Tracy are proud supporters of a variety of local programs and events giving back to the community, most notably, Swiss Bear’s MumFest, New Bern Bridge Run, Bike MS New Bern, Historic Society Ghost Walk, New Bern Civic Theater, Beary Merry Events, and the New Bern Chamber of Commerce to name a few. Our support of New Bern also includes Tracy’s service as a board member on the Tourism Development Authority and Gretchen’s service as a member of the Municipal Service District Advisory Committee.