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Survey of
Historic Sites and Buildings

	CHARLESTON South Carolina
Location: Two "old and historic areas," one bounded approximately by Broad, East Bay, East Battery, South Battery, Logan, or Lenwood Streets, and the other by Cumberland, State, Chalmers, and Meeting Streets. Travel Itinerary Historic Charleston Foundation

Ownership and Administration (1961). Various ownerships, mostly private.

Significance. When the Oyster Point Peninsula became the seat of government for the Carolina Colony in 1680, its strategic location at the junction of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers promised a bright future for the infant city. The promise was fully borne out in the following century, when Charleston became the largest and wealthiest metropolis south of Philadelphia. This wealth—based on rice, indigo, and furs—together with a cosmopolitan population made Charleston one of the most sophisticated colonial cities.

Nowhere were wealth and culture more graphically exemplified than in architecture. During the 18th century, and even up until the catastrophe of the 1860's, Charlestonians had the means to build on as grand a scale as they liked. At the same time, the peculiar climatic conditions—heat, humidity, and the prevailing sea breezes—encouraged an architectural adaptation that continued to influence construction until comparatively recent times. Peculiarly Charlestonian is the "single house" design, one room in width, with a long side piazza to catch the breeze.

Present Appearance (1961). Despite wars, a series of costly fires, and a major earthquake, much of historic Charleston has survived. Within the 2 "old and historic areas" are about 550 buildings dating from the 18th and the first half of the 19th centuries. St. Michael's Episcopal Church and the Miles Brewton and Robert Brewton Houses are treated elsewhere in this volume, as well as the Col. John Stuart House, the Colonial Powder Magazine, the Daniel Elliott Huger House, the Exchange (Customhouse), the French Protestant Huguenot Church, and the Jacob Motte and William Rhett Houses. The following are also worthy of special notice:

(1) City Hall, 80 Broad Street. Constructed in 1800-1801 as a branch of the Bank of the United States, with design attributed to Gabriel Manigault.

(2) William Blacklock House, 18 Bull Street. Built about 1800 of the noted "Carolina gray" brick. Privately owned.

(3) First Baptist Church, 61 Church Street. Robert Mills designed this impressive Greek Revival building, which was dedicated in 1822.

(4) Heyward House, 87 Church Street. Built about 1770, it was owned by Thomas Heyward, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Washington visited there for a time in 1791. Owned by the Charleston Museum.

(5) St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 146 Church Street. Third church used by the congregation, it was begun in 1835 and the steeple, designed by E. B. White, was added in 1848-50.

(6) Old Marine Hospital, 20 Franklin Street. Designed by Robert Mills, it was constructed in 1833. Now headquarters of the Charleston Housing Authority.

(7) College of Charleston, 66 George Street. The central building, designed by William Strickland, was built in 1828-29, with wings and portico by E. B. White in 1850. The library, by George W. Walker, was built in 1854, and the porter's lodge about 1850, by E. B. White.

(8) Simmons-Edwards House, 14 Legare Street. Built about 1800 by Francis Simmons, it is noted for its iron fence and gates. Privately owned.

(9) Nathaniel Russell House, 51 Meeting Street. Built about 1808, it is a notable example of Adam architecture, possibly designed by Russell Warren. Headquarters of the Historic Charleston Foundation.

(10) Branford-Horry House, 59 Meeting Street. Double house built by William Branford about 1751, with portico added by Elias Horry in the 1830's. Privately owned.

(11) South Carolina Society Hall, 72 Meeting Street. Home of a society dating from the colonial period, the building was designed in 1800 by Gabriel Manigault and the portico added in 1825, after a design by Frederick Wesner.

(12) Court House, 77 Meeting Street. Constructed in 1752 as the statehouse, it was rebuilt within the original walls after a fire in 1788 and has been used as the seat of county government since 1790.

(13) Fireproof Building, 100 Meeting Street. Designed by Robert Mills, it was constructed in 1822-27 and now houses the South Carolina Historical Society.

(14) Joseph Manigault House, 350 Meeting Street. A simplified Adam-style mansion, it was the earliest work of Gabriel Manigault, dating from about 1790. Owned by the Charleston Museum.

(15) Gen. William Washington House, 8 South Battery. Built by Thomas Savage about 1768, it was acquired by Washington in 1785. Privately owned.

(16) William Gibbes House, 64 South Battery. A three-story clapboard house built before 1789 and redecorated in the Adam style in 1794. Privately owned. [83]

NHL Designation: 10/09/60