Though the Hornsby House Inn only began welcoming guests six years ago, they have already hosted 9,000 people from around the world.
The location, online reviews and history of the home make it such a compelling place to stay that the owners, brothers Dave and Phil Bowditch, don’t even need to advertise.
The grand home wasn’t always an inn. It originally was built as a family home in 1933 by Dave and Phil’s grandfather, John William Hornsby, or J.W. as he was known at the time. J.W. was born in 1888 in rural York County, about 10 miles away from where he would build the Hornsby House Inn.
“Back then, everyone was farmers and watermen,” Dave said. J.W. left school at twelve years old to be a waterman.” After about twenty years, he was operating several boats.
In the early 1920’s, during off-seasons J.W. started transporting heating oil on the boat. That launched his next endeavor as an Amoco Oil and Gas distributor. His business thrived, and he was able to build the Hornsby House Inn even during the Great Depression.
J.W. hired William Graves Perry, the Rockefellers’ lead architect for the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg, to design the house. It was finished in 1933.
By this time, J.W. had married Georgiana White and had six children.
“When he built the house he said ‘Georgiana, buy antiques for the house,’” Dave said. “Those are all still furnishing the house today.”
J.W.’s only daughter, Marian, eventually married and had four boys, including Phil and Dave. Their family moved in to take care of Georgiana after J.W. passed away. Eventually, the home fell into Phil and Dave’s hands.
“Phil and I didn’t want to sell the house so we worked on it for over a year to be a bed and breakfast,” Dave said. They made renovations such as adding more bathrooms and installing individual air conditioning units in each guest room.
The house has five guest rooms, one of which is a two-room guest suite. The property couldn’t be in a more convenient location for tourists. It’s a block away from Yorktown Beach and across the street from the Yorktown Victory Monument. The brothers held fourteen weddings on the picturesque property last year.
Evidence of the family’s history is everywhere, from copies of cousin Bruce Hornsby’s music sitting on the piano to photos of family members who had gotten married at the house.
One notable family artifact is the scale replica of the Augustus Moore house, built by Phil and Dave’s father, Willits Henry “Bill” Bowditch at their mother’s request. The Augustus Moore house was where the terms of the British army’s surrender were negotiated during the final stages of the American Revolution. Though Bill passed away before completing the replica, a local craftsman finished it off.
The brothers also have published their mother’s cookbook, entitled “From the Kitchen at Hornsby House.” It is still in their mom’s own handwriting. Dave and Phil share the recipes with guests and make many of them for the guest’s breakfast.
During the complimentary wine and cheese reception daily at 5 p.m., the brothers will tell the story of the home and advise the guests on things to see and do in the area. Dave enjoys these conversations with the guests.
“I thought I knew a lot about history but I have learned so much from the guests who have passed through,” he said.
To learn more about this home, click here.
Where We Live is a weekly feature looking at homes in the Historic Triangle. Do you have a home, on or off the market, that our readers may be interested in seeing? Let us know at [email protected].
