HARRISONBURG VA: (Rocktown Now) – HARRISONBURG, Va. — A new chapter is about to begin for one of the city’s most historic landmarks. The Joshua Wilton House, a staple of Harrisonburg’s dining and hospitality scene for decades, will undergo a major transformation under new owner Ethan Herman, who plans to modernize the property while preserving its deep-rooted legacy.

Originally completed in 1888 by Canadian immigrant Joshua Wilton, the stately home has served many roles over its long history—from a private residence to a fraternity house and apartments—before becoming a fine dining restaurant and bed-and-breakfast in 1988. For years, it stood as one of the city’s premier dining destinations, helping define Harrisonburg’s early hospitality landscape.

Now, Herman, a Shenandoah Valley native, is stepping in to reimagine the iconic property for a new generation.

“This place has always been about hospitality, about the feeling people get when they walk through the doors,” Herman said in a recent interview. “That’s what we want to preserve, even as we bring it forward.”

Herman brings a mix of local roots and high-level experience to the role. Raised in Waynesboro and a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University, he has worked in restaurants since he was a teenager, including time at Harrisonburg’s Chop House and later at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Santa Barbara, California. He credits those experiences with shaping his vision of elevated dining and service.

Despite his appreciation for fine dining, Herman says he’s mindful of the challenges that come with running a restaurant, an industry often viewed as high-risk. Still, he sees restaurants as vital community spaces.

“Everything in life is shared over meals,” he said. “From celebrations to everyday moments, restaurants are where people come together.”

The current version of the Joshua Wilton House will close on July 3 to begin renovations. While the existing brand and format will end, Herman emphasized that the property will return as both a restaurant and an inn, maintaining its core identity.

Plans for the revamped Wilton House include expanded menus, updated interiors, and more casual spaces such as a lounge and enlarged bar area. The goal is to appeal to a broader audience while still offering an elegant dining experience for special occasions.

“We want to be the place people think of for anniversaries and birthdays,” Herman said. “But also somewhere you can stop in for a drink or a relaxed evening.”

The redesign will also focus on restoring the building’s historic character. Herman and his team have studied original materials from the late 19th century, aiming to bring back Victorian design elements and warm, traditional aesthetics while updating the overall atmosphere.

“This is about protecting the building and what it represents,” he said. “We want to make sure it’s here for generations to come.”

The project follows years of stewardship by previous owners, most recently Karen Flagel, whom Herman credited with maintaining the property through challenging periods, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Renovations are expected to continue through the summer, with a tentative reopening planned for mid-August, though timing may shift due to the complexities of working on a historic structure.

When it reopens, Herman hopes the Joshua Wilton House will honor its past while creating new memories for the community.

“Our goal,” he said, “is for people to walk in—whether it’s their first time or their fiftieth—and feel like this is a place they belong.”