History & Photo Gallery

Wilton was a Canadian immigrant who began his life in America in NY around 1850, where he met his life-long business partner, Philo Bradley. Wilton & Bradley moved to what is now Harrisonburg in the 1860’s to begin their lives as successful entrepreneurs. In a small rural farming town, Wilton opened up a much-needed hardware store, and utilized his fantastic manufacturing connections in Baltimore and NY to bring modern goods to the valley. He was able to provide farm equipment, housing goods, and many other items that were previously out of reach. With a successful hardware store, Wilton began to invest his money in other businesses, loaning out his earnings in careful planned (mostly successful) business endeavors. Eventually, Wilton would hold rank as the President of the First National Bank, chairmen of the local hospital board, inspector of the county jail, founder of the Young Men’s Christian Association, Treasurer for the Elk’s Lodge, and much more.

After mastering business in an expanding town, Wilton had his home built beginning in 1880, with construction completed in 1888. It was one of the first homes wired for electricity, which over time, has given Wilton credit for “bringing electricity” to the valley. It is also a rare example of a Queen Anne Victorian home in the south (Wilton fell in love with the style while living in New York). After Wilton’s passing, the Shenk family owned the home for years, it became a boarding house, then apartments, then played host to the TKE Fraternity for just over a decade.

In roughly 1986, the home was purchased by Craig & Burt Moore, who spent two years renovating the home into what is now known as The Joshua Wilton House. The inn on the second story opened first, then the restaurant shortly after. Despite changing ownerships over the decades, the Wilton House has remained a staple for quality food, creative cocktails, and cherished history.

About Our Photo Gallery

Since 1988, our home has opened its doors to guests from across the world. In this time, our staff has grown and changed with us, bringing with them decades of experience and personal flare, culminating in exquisite cocktails and cuisine. Below are galleries of our favorite images over the years. Follow our social media accounts below for current specials.

TKE: 1970's-80’s

Described as the “real Animal House”, the TKE fraternity spent over a decade living it up in what is now the Wilton House. Lawn parties, bonfires, couches on the roof, and of course the occasional studying. We’ve hosted many of these guests 30+ years later, and they are thankful that she’s been restored to her former glory. We love to hear tales from the days of TKE, so it is always a treat to host fraternity members! We’ve found physiology notes stuffed away in the attic, along with books that were never returned, and some wedding announements from 1977.

1980's: Becoming The Joshua Wilton House

After the TKE fraternity moved to another building closer to campus, the home spent roughly two years undergoing heavy renovations. The commercial kitchen was added to the back of the home, and the second story was renovated so that each of the five bedrooms could have their own private bathrooms (thus, making it an inn-space). The first business owners were Craig and Burt Moore. They opened the inn first while the restaurant staff was hired and the menu established. The grand opening was in May of 1988, on the 100th anniversary of the home being built in 1888.

Weddings: 1980’s-90’s

Some of the first big events for the newly renovated home were weddings! Craig and Burt were loved for their hospitality and warm nature, making the JWH perfect for the Big Day! Here are a few photos we’ve found that were saved over the years. If you have any photos from the 1980-90’s, we’d love to see them! We’re happy to scan photos and return them, just so we can keep a bit of Wilton’s history for the future. From ice sculptures to big pink shoulder pads, the Wilton has hosted a wide range of weddings!

Inn Rooms: 2000’s

The Wilton came under new ownership in the 2000’s by Anne Marie, Mark, and Sean; three JMU graduates and fans of the Wilton. They successfully brought the Wilton out of its 80’s/90’s phase by diversifying our menu, style of service, and redecorating. Instead of pink or dark purple carpeting from the 80’s, the new owners put in a simple beige carpet, updated the artwork for a more modern feel, and brought in “new” antiques to the home.

New Ownership: 2015

Anne Marie, Mark, and Sean parted ways after a decade in business together (opening and managing other restaurants in TX and SC). The Wilton was then purchased by Jeff Hill, Joe Irvin, and Rodney Eagle in 2015, when it experienced a bit of a renaissance. The new owners had decades of experience in hospitality, and had a wonderful vision for the Wilton. They brought in a diverse team of chefs, began serving Brunch and Afternoon Tea, and once again updated the menu and service style to better reflect Harrisonburg’s needs. Jeff, Joe, and Rodney also owned and operated the Local Chop and Grill House since 2009; which gave the Wilton a “sister-restaurant” to exchange ideas with, share staff, and coordinate large events.

2016 - General Photos

Along with the new ownership in 2015 came an appreciation for photography, social media, and marketing. The Wilton had been in business for nearly 28 years, most of which was done with no internet marketing, only hand written letters and gift certificates. The new owners were excited to show off our fantastic food, cocktails, and inn to a larger audience. We hired photographers from Harrisonburg, but primarily relied on long-time employee, Jake Woetzel, for his photography & marketing skills. We love to share what we do!

2017 - General Photos

Enjoy more general photos from 2017! We photograph our specials regularly, and also do promotional photoshoots for events such as Afternoon Tea, JMU Graduation, and much more!

July 2018: Renovations

The Wilton went through a much-needed update in 2018. Instead of the busy, purple zebra carpet, the owners selected a beautiful deep red carpet for the home. Actually, this same deep red was used in the 1960’s when the home was a private residence. The walls were beige and a tad boring in the 2000’s, so the new owners selected a slate-green tone for the dining rooms, dark green for the bar, dark red in two dining rooms, and installed hardwood floors in the sunrooms. All five of our inn rooms also received new wood floors, which replaced the beige carpets. These 2018 renovations were a breath of fresh air in the home! Adding color to the home gave each room a different atmosphere and draws the attention of guests, especially compared to the “decade of beige” that came before.

Weddings: 2015 - 2020

A collection of photos of Wilton Weddings under the 3rd ownership. The Wilton has been hosting weddings since 1988, and continues to do so monthly! With a five inn rooms, private garden, full bar, and talented chefs, the Wilton makes weddings easy! We also work with fantastic local florists, photographers, and videographers to ensure that your day is perfect! Anyone who has been married at Wilton is always welcome back; we love to hear stories about their special day and remenisce with them.

Inn Rooms: 2023

The inn rooms received another update in 2023! Instead of five queen beds in the home, the three largest rooms each received a king size bed and updated decor. In addition, all five rooms were updated to have smart tv’s in them, which allows guests to access Hulu, Netflix, Spotify, and much more during their stay. We purposefully designed the rooms so that the TVs are not the main focal point, but are still comfortable to view while relaxing in bed. All rooms were completed with desks as well, which gives each room a designated workspace if need be.