At the base of Graceland, the town of Elkins, West Virginia is home to the headquarters of the Monongahela National Forest, a nearly one million acre expanse of nature that offers over 800 miles of hiking trails immersed in the flora and fauna of West Virginia’s wildlife. Elkins is a base for the West Virginia Mountain Rail, a historic railroad offering scenic journeys through the Appalachian mountains on steam-driven locomotives and vintage diesel-powered passenger trains. West Virginia artisans living and working in Elkins warmly open the doors to their workshops for a view into traditional Appalachian life and art. The Graceland Inn & Restaurant, historic in itself, is walking distance from the rich heritage of the Allegheny Highlands. Today, Graceland is under ownership and residing on the beautiful campus of Davis & Elkins College, serving students from around the world for more than 120 years.
The Historic
Graceland Inn & Restaurant On the Campus of Davis & Elkins College
Graceland’s Gateway
To the Wild and Wonderful
Elkins serves as the gateway to nature throughout the year, and the Graceland Inn & Restaurant is a comfortable homebase for experiencing it all. In warmer months, Graceland is a scenic 40-mile drive from Dolly Sods Wilderness, a unique ecosystem that mirrors flora found near Southern Canada. Rhododendrons, the West Virginia state flower, bloom in spring and color the setting of outdoor adventure in Randolph County. In fall, the more than 230 mountain peaks in the county shift to vibrant hues of orange and red, and our 28 campgrounds offer a scenic setting for cozy campfires and stargazing. Only 33 miles from Canaan Valley skiing and 50 miles from Snowshoe, Elkins is the gateway to winter sports, and the Graceland Inn offers a warm return to gourmet food and restful lodging after a day spent experiencing the best of West Virginia recreation.
Discover
Our History
On an upstairs wall of Graceland, there is a portrait of Gideon Bantz, Judge of the Orphans Court of Frederick, Maryland. Judge Bantz was a successful man who was displeased when a handsome but penniless man by the name of Henry Gassaway Davis asked for his daughter, Katherine’s, hand in marriage. He consented nonetheless, and after the judge’s death in 1853, Katherine’s $50,000 inheritance became the nest egg that went on to create the family fortune that would soon turn into Davis and Elkins College. Katherine and Henry had three daughters, Kate, Hallie, and Grace, the latter of which became the namesakes of the two mansions on campus.
Graceland was built in 1893, at which time Henry had become Senator Henry Gassaway Davis. It was named for their daughter, Grace, who later married Arthur Lee and gave birth to four children. During the time that they lived at Graceland, the home was party to a wide variety of visitors, including President Harrison and John A. Kennedy, who went on to marry Grace’s daughter, Ellen Bruce. Together, Ellen Bruce and her new husband purchased Graceland from the estate on Halloween of 1935. Soon after purchasing the mansion, Ellen and her husband found that they needed to move to Charleston and were forced to sell Graceland. Ellen Bruce wished to donate part of it to the college, but she was unable to do so because the home was collateral for their business loans, and therefore had to be sold. They sold Graceland to the local Presbyterian Church who donated it to Davis & Elkins College to be used as a boy’s dormitory, finally achieving Ellen’s dream of Graceland officially joining the campus.
The bedrooms of Graceland feature many of the same furnishings that were in the home while Senator Davis lived there coupled with authentically restored period pieces. At the Graceland Inn, guests are invited to stay in the bedrooms of the Davis family, including the Senator’s Suite, and enjoy the settings of the original library and parlor where Senator Davis worked while away from Washington.
Gallery
