About the Home

Experience Life In

Flowertown, SC

Benjamin Greig, a Scotsman and Civil War veteran, built this grand historic home in 1889, shortly after the 1886 earthquake that felled many homes in Charleston. Mr. Greig was quite thrifty and designed the home himself, including the addition of wood ceilings throughout the entire house to prevent collapse in the event of another earthquake or hurricane. Its graceful design and stunningly beautiful woodwork warmly welcome all who enter.

Herbert Jessen, a judge and, later, a local sheriff, purchased the property from Greig’s widow in 1939 and brought the home back to its former glory. Special attention was paid to the massive porches flanking the house, and the detail of the columns and balustrades simply cannot be overlooked.

At present, little is known about the ownership of the home from about the mid-century time period to the early 1990s, when Greg and Veronique Elam purchased the property, restored its original beauty, and converted the second-floor rooms into four charming guest rooms, each with its own en suite bath. They also planned and planted the extensive gardens, with lovely garden “rooms,” water features, and pergolas. The exterior landscape is so lovely that Good Housekeeping magazine featured the gardens in their Spring 2006 feature “Garden Ideas and Outdoor Living.”

Flowertown Bed & Breakfast, as it stands today, opened its doors in 1997 and has hosted thousands of guests who have been astounded at the grandeur of the home and authentic period furnishings.

The current owners, Chris and Carol Grant, are no strangers to hospitality! The Grants owned a bed-and-breakfast in Champaign, IL, for 10 years, and after searching for the perfect Southern bed-and-breakfast for two and a half years, they finally purchased the Flowertown Bed & Breakfast in December 2018 and have warmly welcomed guests since then.