Where is Graylyn Estate located?
Graylyn Estate is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It was built in the Norman Revival architectural style.
Questions about Graylyn
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who built Graylyn Estate?
Graylyn Estate was built by Nathalie Lyons Gray and her husband Bowman Gray Sr., who bought the 87-acre property from R. J. Reynolds in 1925. Bowman Gray Sr. was chairman of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company at the time.
When did construction on Graylyn Estate begin?
Construction began with a groundbreaking on the 15th of January 1928, and as many as 136 people worked on the mansion at one time. The finished house was built in the Norman style and contained about 60 rooms.
What happened to Graylyn Estate in the fire of 1980?
On the 20th of June 1980, a fire broke out inside Graylyn while the Winston-Salem Symphony performed on the lawn outside, and nearly 7,000 people watched as the flames damaged the interior. Wake Forest University president James R. Scales announced the next day that the house would be rebuilt to its 1932 appearance, and restoration of the mansion and Bernard Cottage was completed in 1984 at a cost of $6,000,000.
How is Graylyn Estate used today?
Graylyn Estate is now used as a conference center and hotel with 85 guest rooms and fifteen meeting rooms spread across five buildings. It is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
What other uses has Graylyn Estate had besides a private home?
Graylyn Estate was donated to the Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1946 and served as a psychiatric hospital from 1947 to 1959. Gordon Gray, one of Nathalie and Bowman Gray's sons, bought it back in 1972 and donated it to Wake Forest University, which used it as a student dormitory from 1977 to 1980.