This SC hotel is among the most historic in the South, Garden & Gun says. Here’s why
Anchorage 1770, the historic waterfront inn at 1103 Bay Street in downtown Beaufort, has been named one of Garden & Gun’s “Six of the South’s Most Historic Hotels,” highlighting properties where history and hospitality meet.
Garden & Gun notes that these designations come as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary this July, drawing renewed attention to landmarks that predate the nation itself.
History of the SC hotel
Anchorage 1770 was constructed around 1770, with historical records indicating activity on the site as early as 1753.
Built of tabby, a concrete mixture made from oyster shells, the house was erected by a prominent planter. Some historical accounts credit William Elliott I, while others attribute the construction to Ralph Emms Elliott, owner of Cedar Grove Plantation. Ralph Emms Elliott later willed the property to his nephew, William Elliott III, in 1806.
William Elliott III went on to become one of Beaufort’s most influential early citizens.
A politician, planter, author and sportsman, Elliott served as mayor of Beaufort and, in 1825, hosted the Marquis de Lafayette at the Bay Street residence during the French general’s return tour of the United States. Beaufort’s Lafayette Street was later named in his honor.
The home stayed in the Elliott family until the Civil War, when the Union Army invaded. William Elliott III fled, and the house was given a new role as a hospital for wounded soldiers following the Union occupation of Beaufort in 1861. Despite the conflict, the structure was spared from destruction and survived the war.
The property changed ownership several times during Reconstruction. In 1876, records indicate that General Wade Hampton, then a candidate for governor of South Carolina, delivered a campaign speech from the home’s porch.
In 1891, the house became home to the Ribaut Club, a men’s social organization, before being purchased later that year by Admiral Lester Beardslee, commander of the Port Royal Naval Station.
Ribaut Social Club is still a dining option offered at the hotel today.
The property remained as a private residence and guest home for decades before being purchased in May 2014 by owners Frank and Amy Lesesne, who opened the hotel in July 2015.
The inn’s current name, Anchorage 1770, reflects both the Elliott family history and Beardslee’s naval legacy.
“Its current blend of Lowcountry historic charm and boutique-hotel amenities make that survival even more fortunate,” Garden & Gun wrote.
Today, Anchorage 1770 operates as a boutique inn with 15 guest rooms in the main house and a private cottage suite. The inn features water and garden views, porch space, a terrace offering evening service and modern hospitality amenities integrated into the historic structure.
What other historic hotels in the South made this list?
The five other hotels featured on this listing by Garden & Gun include:
- The Inn at Warner Hall in Gloucester, Virginia
- Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas
- 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa in Eureka Springs, Arkansas
- The Marshall House in Savannah, Georgia
- Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C.
This story was originally published January 24, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "This SC hotel is among the most historic in the South, Garden & Gun says. Here’s why."
