A Historic Charleston Home Since 1763

John Rutledge builds the home for his bride, Elizabeth Grimke. Rutledge later serves as chairman of the committee that drafted the United States Constitution and signs the document as a delegate from South Carolina. Portions of the Constitution were drafted in the home’s second-floor drawing room, now known as the Signer’s Ballroom.

President George Washington visits the John Rutledge home during his 1791 tour of Charleston, where he shares breakfast with Mrs. Rutledge.

The home undergoes a significant renovation, adding many of the architectural details that still define it today, including Italian marble fireplaces and ornate ironwork featuring the Federal Eagle and South Carolina Palmetto—a tribute to Rutledge’s service in federal and state government. A third floor is also added, and stucco is applied over the original brick.

Later renovations add intricate inlaid parquet floors patterned after those found in German castles. Visitors can still admire the detailed designs today, with no two rooms featuring the same pattern.

While Charleston Mayor Robert Goodwyn Rhett called the historic home his residence, he welcomed President William Howard Taft during a visit to Charleston. For the occasion, Rhett asked his butler, William Deas, to elevate their traditional crab soup. Deas added orange crab roe, creating the rich color and distinctive flavor associated with what became one of Charleston’s most celebrated dishes: She-Crab Soup.

Following an extensive restoration, the historic home begins a new chapter as John Rutledge House Inn®, preserving its remarkable architectural character while welcoming travelers to experience the house firsthand. The Inn becomes a charter member of Historic Hotels of America, recognizing its enduring place in Charleston and American history.

More than 260 years after the home was built, John Rutledge House Inn® continues to welcome guests within the walls of this remarkable National Historic Landmark. Original architectural details and centuries of history remain part of everyday life at the Inn, thoughtfully preserved alongside the comforts and gracious hospitality of a modern stay in Charleston.