Benjamin Ellis House
2311 259 252


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The Benjamin Ellis House



Circa 1853





In 1850, successful turpentine merchant, Benjamin Ellis, purchased lot 44 on Pollock Street in New Bern from the Lamott family. With his wife, Eliza, the couple built a classic two and two house for their growing family. The original structure had two rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs with a center hallway and staircase. In addition to the main house, the couple also built a separate smoke house and a kitchen on the property. The picture to the right shows the house during the occupation of New Bern by union soldiers. The Ellis house was occupied from 1862 to 1865 by Company K, Forty-Fifth regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer militia. Picture courtesy of Historic New England.



As the family grew to six children, the house was expanded as well. First in the late 1860's following occupation by Union soldiers and again in the 1880's. taking the house from the original four rooms to eight rooms.

At the turn of the last century the house changed again. After the death of Eliza Ellis in 1899 the house passed onto the children. Folklore tells us there was a falling out between the brother and brother in law - they could not agree on a price to buy each other out. So, they simply split the house in half, moved one half to the west nine feet, added a second front door, hallway and stairway turning the house into a duplex. There they lived side by side for over twenty years - never speaking. Whether the estrangement of the two is true isn't certain but the house did become a duplex in 1904.

Pictured at left is the Ellis family around 1900.



The house left the Ellis family some time in the late 1920's, after that time the history is a bit murky. What is now the parlor housed a gift shop for many years. The ground floor rooms on the east side were used as offices. The upstairs rooms were configured as apartments for some time. In the early 1980's a couple (the Hansens) purchased the property and decided to turn it into an Inn. After several years of renovation, the house opened as the Harmony House Inn Bed & Breakfast in 1985. The name of the Inn came about because the new owners wanted to return 'harmony' to the house after many years of discord. It also may have been related to the fact Mr. Hansen was part of a popular men's singing group.



Today the Innkeepers are updating and refurbishing the property to return some of the original charm to the house. In spring of 2016, the dining room underwent a complete transformation with the removal of a false wall and closing off access to a full bath and hallway. A full commercial kitchen was installed in a former bedroom. And, the ground floor full bath was converted into a powder room and pantry space. The hardwood floors in the parlor, foyer and dining room were refinished. Work was recently completed to repair and restore the original staircase.

Guest rooms are being spruced up with additional furniture to add work spaces, improved lighting. updated bath fixtures and new linens for fresher look and feel.

Pictured to the left is an original Pepsi bottle, circa 1905, found during installation of new gas line to the Inn. Check out our Facebook page to see some before and after pictures of the renovation as well as to see what's new at the Inn.





Benjamin ellis house
Harmony house inn
bed & Breakfast



215 Pollock Street
New Bern, NC 28560
(252) 259-2311