HISTORY OF THE ESTATE
Formerly known as the Boswood/Mathias House
1850 - The Boswood Farm Tract consists of 100 acres
The exact age of the Palmer Inn Estate is unknown, but it is thought to date back as far as 1850. Formerly known as the Boswood/Mathias House, it was occupied by the Boswood family and the Mathias family (descendants of the Boswood family) for over 100 years. The earliest confirmed occupant is Grandy Boswood, although it is possible that his parents also lived here.
The original house was located to the west (where State Route 168 currently sits). It consisted of four rooms – the current front living room, level one bedroom and the two bedrooms above. The home had a chimney on the north and south ends with a fireplace in each room. The home and land were part of an old Boswood Farm tract and was approximately 100 acres.
The home had several outbuildings. It is believed that one of the outbuildings was a kitchen. The Boswoods grew white potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, soybeans, peanuts, and cotton. In addition to crops, they raised mules, cows, chickens, turkeys, and hogs. A small cemetery is located south of the house on the neighboring land and contains several members of the Boswood Family.
1953 - The house passes to the Mathias Family
The house passed to the Mathias family in 1953. The house was renovated and added onto several times, although all the details are unknown, local neighbors recall a bedroom their father rented (now the upstairs bathroom with a bathtub) when he was old enough to leave home. The door to the bedroom was at the bottom of the current stairway leading to the third floor. It's believe the door on the left at the top of the stairs on the second level led to another bedroom on the north side (which is now the green bathroom). So, at some point, four rooms (what are now the level one full bathroom, the small bedroom to the south, and the two level two bathrooms) were added to the original four room house. Also, the kitchen, living room, and front bedroom in the guest house were attached to the back of the enlarged eight-room main house.
1989 - Dodson Mathias move the house east to make way for route 168
The largest renovation was done around 1989. Dodson Mathias, who had left Barco and become a successful banking executive, owned the house at the time. History recalls that the house was going to be taken by the state to widen Route 168. To save the house, Mathias subdivided the land, relocated the home to the east and extensively renovated it. During the renovations, the double front porch was added, and the chimneys were removed. What is now the guest house kitchen, living room and front bedroom were removed from the main house and relocated to where they currently stand. The front bathroom and garage were added to the guest house at that time. The back bedroom, bathroom, and laundry area were added to the guest house at some later point. The present kitchen, dining room, and back family room in the main house were also added in renovation that began in 1989.
1997 thru 2009 - The house and remaining 8 acres are sold and converted into a B&B
In 1997, the current house and eight acres were sold by Dodson Mathias to David and Laura Palmer who opened The Palmer Inn - a bed-and-breakfast and wedding venue. During the next 12 years, the Inn hosted many guests and approximately 35 weddings. Many of the local high school students have reminisced about having their prom pictures taken on the Inn’s meticulously kept grounds. The Palmer Inn was closed in 2009. Even after the Inn closed, the Palmers beautifully decorated the home for Christmas and the locals looked forward to seeing Santa on the swing every year.
2023 - The house passes to John and Pam Kavanagh and undergoes extensive renovations
In October of 2023, the property was purchased by John and Pam Kavanagh. The property underwent a six-month remodel and was re-opened as The Palmer Inn Estate. The first guests were hosted in late April 2024, while the first wedding will be held on the grounds in June.
According to history, the estate may have been one of the Port of Currituck's first inns. There are rumored to be the remnants of an old slip near the southernmost point of the land bordering Coinjock Bay. According to the story, early freight boats would land at the slip so they could load up with crops that the local farmers would bring. After then, the boats would approach the courthouse's public docks, where the ferry currently docks. There, they would load up on fish and crops. After that, the vessels would go to New York City, Baltimore, and Hampton Roads. During the Civil War, when the courthouse was controlled by the North, the documents that supported this history were destroyed in a fire.