Aiken-Rhett House Museum Historic Charleston foundation
The Aiken-Rhett House Museum, 48 Elizabeth Street, c. 1820, is unique in many ways. For example, it remained in the hands of family descendents for 142 years until it was sold to The Charleston Museum and opened as a museum house in 1975. Historic Charleston Foundation purchased the house in 1995 and adopted a conservation approach to the interpretation of this important house and its outbuildings.
Located on the corner of Judith and Elizabeth streets, Charleston merchant John Robinson built the house in 1820 as a typical Charleston double house with a central hallway and two rooms on either side. The original front entrance was located on Judith Street, where the piazza, a Charleston term for a double side porch, is now located. When Robinson lost five ships at sea in 1825, he was forced to sell the house to meet his financial obligations. Subsequently, it became the property of William Aiken Sr. in 1827.
Aiken, an Irish immigrant who had accumulated a large fortune as one of the city’s leading merchants, used the house as a rental property. When he died suddenly in a carriage accident, his vast holdings were divided between his wife, Henrietta Wyatt Aiken, and his only son, William Aiken Jr.
In 1833, the young William Aiken and his new bride, Harriet Lowndes, decided to make the house their primary residence. They began an extensive renovation of the property. Three main changes took place: the front entrance was moved, the first floor was reconfigured, and a large addition was built onto the house. By all accounts, they created one of the most impressive residences in Charleston.
A successful businessman, rice planter, distinguished politician and governor of South Carolina, William Aiken Jr. was one of the state’s wealthiest citizens. Following a well-established tradition among Charleston’s elite, Governor Aiken and his wife traveled in Europe and returned with magnificent fine art and furnishings. In 1858, while abroad, Governor Aiken commissioned his cousin, Joseph Daniel Aiken, to design and oversee the construction of an art gallery, the only one of its kind in the city. Today, many of the objects acquired by the Aikens on their travels remain in the rooms for which they were purchased.
The Aiken family library, containing more than 2000 volumes mostly published in the 1800s, has recently been transferred to the Charleston Library Society archives and placed on long-term loan. Many of the books are signed by family members and were purchased on their travels through Europe.
Prior to the Civil War, the Aiken-Rhett House was maintained by a population of highly skilled enslaved African Americans who worked to sustain the Aikens’ high standards for elegant living and entertaining. Occupations within the household included carriage drivers, cooks, footmen, gardeners, laundresses, nursemaids, and seamstresses. A post Civil War document reveals the names of 14 slaves that lived at the Aiken-Rhett House and attended the family: Tom and Ann Greggs, and their son, Henry; Dorcas and Sambo Richardson and their children, Charles, Rachel, Victoria, Elizabeth, and Julia; Charles Jackson, Anthony Barnwell, and two carpenters, Will and Jacob. Many of these individuals remained in Charleston following Emancipation, and Jacob Gaillard and Henry Greggs lived and worked at the Aiken-Rhett House until their deaths in 1896 and 1908.
The back lot of the Aiken-Rhett House is where the slaves worked and lived, and they probably took their meals communally in the kitchen. A unique site, the Aiken-Rhett House retains both original outbuildings. One is the kitchen and laundry and the other a carriage and stable house, above which are found sleeping quarters. Many of the rooms had fireplaces, and paint evidence suggests these rooms were painted vibrant colors.
William Aiken, Jr. died at his summer home in Flat Rock, North Carolina, in 1887. He left his property to his wife and daughter. Harriet Aiken continued to live in the house until her death in 1892. Her daughter, Henrietta, and son-in-law, Major A.B. Rhett, raised their four sons and one daughter in the house. Upon Henrietta’s death, the house was divided between her children and their heirs. Two sons, I’On Rhett and Andrew Burnet Rhett, Jr. continued to live in the house until the mid twentieth century.
The Aiken-Rhett House is open, Mon-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun, 2-5 p.m. (last tour begins at 4:15 p.m.).
Tickets are $12 adults; $5 children 6-16; under six free.
Visitors who are interested in visiting the Aiken-Rhett and the Nathaniel Russell House Museums can save $6 on adult tickets by purchasing a combination ticket. Tickets are redeemable for six months from purchase date and do not need to be used on the same day. Consider visiting both museums to experience the unique and different preservation methods at work in each museum.
Historic Charleston Foundation House Museums: Aiken-Rhett House & Nathaniel Russell House
The Aiken-Rhett House (c.1820) is considered one of the most intact urban townhouse complexes in Charleston. Well-preserved Gothic Revival style outbuildings, paint a vivid picture of slave life in an urban antebellum household.
Set amid spacious formal gardens, the Nathaniel Russell House (c.1808) is widely recognized as one of America's most important neoclassical dwellings. It represents the grandeur and optimism of the new nation after the American Revolution.
Aiken Rhett House, Charleston, SC
The Aiken Rhett House is in the City of Charleston on Elizabeth Street. It was built in 1820 and stayed in the family for 142 years. It was then sold to the City of Charleston and turned into a museum in 1975. For more information, you can go to:
Aiken-Rhett House - Charleston, Coastal South Carolina, South Carolina, United States
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Aiken-rhett House Charleston
A historic house museum that is highly recommended.
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- Charleston, Coastal South Carolina, South Carolina, United States
Photos in this video:
- Aiken-Rhett House, Charleston by Modernnomad67 from a blog titled Historic Homes of Charleston, April 25
- Aiken-Rhett House, Charleston by Tomodea from a blog titled Charleston
Travel - 1st day in Charleston, SC - Part One - The Aiken-Rhett House
Aiken-Rhett House Website:
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Rhett Aiken House
Rhett-Aiken House
Nathaniel Russell House & Aiken-Rhett House Museum
The Aiken-Rhett House (c.1820) is considered one of the most intact urban townhouse complexes in Charleston. Well-preserved Gothic Revival style outbuildings, paint a vivid picture of slave life in an urban antebellum household.
Set amid spacious formal gardens, the Nathaniel Russell House (c.1808) is widely recognized as one of America's most important neoclassical dwellings. It represents the grandeur and optimism of the new nation after the American Revolution.
Robert Barnwell Rhett House Tour
Bob tours a Georgian architectural beauty with twin octagonal parlors a few blocks away from the project house in Charleston, SC.
The Aiken-Rhett House Museum
The Aiken-Rhett House Museum
Charleston, South Carolina-USA
The house descended in the Aiken-Rhett family for 142 years until it was sold to The Charleston Museum and opened to the public in 1975.
Charleston merchant John Robinson built the house in 1820 as a typical Charleston double house. When he lost five ships at sea in 1825, he was forced to sell the house to meet his financial obligations. Subsequently, it became the property of William Aiken Sr. in 1827.
Aiken, an Irish immigrant who had accumulated a large fortune as one of the city’s leading merchants, used the house as a rental property. When he died suddenly in a carriage accident, his vast holdings were divided between his wife, Henrietta Wyatt Aiken, and his only son, William Aiken Jr.
In 1833, the young William Aiken and his new bride, Harriet Lowndes, decided to make the house their primary residence and began an extensive renovation of the property. By all accounts, they created one of the most impressive residences in early 19th-century Charleston.
A successful businessman, rice planter, distinguished politician and governor of South Carolina, William Aiken Jr. was one of the state’s wealthiest citizens. Following a well-established tradition among Charleston’s elite, Governor Aiken and his wife enjoyed an extensive European Grand Tour and returned with magnificent fine art and furnishings for their renovated house. In 1858, while abroad, Governor Aiken commissioned his cousin, Joseph Daniel Aiken, to design and oversee the construction of an art gallery, the only one of its kind in the city. Today, many of the objects acquired by the Aikens on their travels remain in the rooms for which they were purchased.
William Aiken, Jr. died in 1887 at his summer home in Flat Rock, North Carolina. He left his property to his wife and daughter. His wife, Harriet, continued to live in the house until her death in 1892. Her daughter, Henrietta, and son-in-law, Major A.B. Rhett, raised their four sons and one daughter in the house. Upon Henrietta’s death, the house was divided between her children and their heirs. Two sons, I’On Rhett and Andrew Burnet Rhett, Jr. continued to live in the house until the mid-twentieth century.
O Museu da Casa Aiken-Rhett
A casa pertenceu à família Aiken-Rhett por 142 anos, até que foi vendida para o Museu Charleston, na Carolina do Sul e aberta ao público em 1975.
O comerciante de Charleston, John Robinson, construiu a casa em 1820 como uma típica casa dupla de Charleston. Quando ele perdeu cinco navios em uma tempestade marítima em 1825, foi forçado a vender a casa para cumprir suas obrigações financeiras. Posteriormente, a casa tornou-se propriedade de William Aiken Sr. em 1827.
Aiken, foi um imigrante irlandês que acumulou uma grande fortuna como um dos principais comerciantes da cidade de Charleston. Quando ele morreu repentinamente em um acidente, suas vastas propriedades foram divididas entre sua esposa, Henrietta Wyatt Aiken, e seu único filho, William Aiken Jr.
Em 1833, o jovem William Aiken e sua noiva, Harriet Lowndes, decidiram fazer da casa sua residência principal e iniciaram uma extensa reforma da propriedade. Ao final das obras, a casa se transformou em uma das residências mais impressionantes do início do século XIX em Charleston, e uma das mais valiosas nos Estados Unidos.
Um empresário de sucesso, plantador de arroz(Chamado na época de O Ouro Branco) político e governador ilustre da Carolina do Sul, William Aiken Jr. era um dos cidadãos mais ricos do Estado da Carolina do Sul. Seguindo uma tradição bem estabelecida entre a elite de Charleston, o Governador Aiken e sua esposa, desfrutaram de uma grande turnê européia onde compraram, em leilões e museus, belas artes e móveis magníficos para a casa reformada. Em 1858, enquanto estava no exterior, o Governador Aiken encomendou seu primo, Joseph Daniel Aiken, para projetar e supervisionar a construção de uma galeria de arte, a única desse tipo na cidade. Hoje, muitos dos objetos adquiridos pelos Aikens em suas viagens, permanecem nos quartos da Grande Mansão da familia.
William Aiken Jr. morreu em 1887 em sua casa de verão em Flat Rock, na Carolina do Norte. Ele deixou sua propriedade para sua esposa e filha. Sua esposa, Harriet, continuou morando na casa até sua morte em 1892. Sua filha, Henrietta, e genro, o Major A.B. Rhett, criou seus quatro filhos e uma filha nesta casa. Após a morte de Henrietta, a casa foi dividida entre seus filhos e seus herdeiros. Os filhos Rhett e Andrew Burnet Rhett, Jr. continuaram morando na casa até meados do século XX.
Joseph Manigault House - Charleston, Coastal South Carolina, South Carolina, United States
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Joseph Manigault House Charleston
Historic mansion that is open to the public.
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Travel blogs from Joseph Manigault House:
- ... The houses we visited were: Aiken-Rhett House, the Joseph Manigault House, Edimondston-Aiston House, Nataniel Russell House, and the Heyward-Washington House ...
Read these blogs and more at:
Photos from:
- Charleston, Coastal South Carolina, South Carolina, United States
Photos in this video:
- Joseph Manigault House, Charleston by Modernnomad67 from a blog titled Historic Homes of Charleston, April 25
Nathaniel Russell House - Charleston, Coastal South Carolina, South Carolina, United States
- Created at TripWow by TravelPod Attractions (a TripAdvisor™ company)
Nathaniel Russell House Charleston
An historical mansion open to the public.
Read more at:
Travel blogs from Nathaniel Russell House:
- ... The first was Nathaniel Russell House which was most impressive and where we saw our first joggling board ...
- ... to purchase a Charleston Heritage Passport, which is a 2 day pass that got us in to the Gibbes Museum of Art, Nathaniel Russell House, Edmondston-Alston House, Drayton Hall, Middleton Place, Aiken-Rhett House, Joseph Manigault House, Heyward-Washington ...
Read these blogs and more at:
Photos from:
- Charleston, Coastal South Carolina, South Carolina, United States
Photos in this video:
- Joggling Board - Nathaniel Russell House by Tomodea from a blog titled Charleston
- Nathaniel Russell House, Charleston by Modernnomad67 from a blog titled Historic Homes of Charleston, April 25
- Nathaniel Russell House, Charleston by Tomodea from a blog titled Charleston
Nathaniel Russell House Tour
Bob takes a tour of the historic, spectacular home of Nathaniel Russell, one of Charleston's wealthiest Colonial merchants. Bob discusses the architecture and decor. One highlight is the home's famous cantilevered staircase.
Rhett's house
A quick tour of Rhett's house
Aiken carriage house Charleston sc
Walking outside and through the Joseph Aiken Carriage House in Charleston, South Carolina
House museums in Charleston
These are the two best in the Southeast
Aiken-Rhett Archaeological Dig
An interview with Andrew Agha of Archaeological Research Collective on the dig at the Aiken-Rhett House laundry. Over 10,000 artifacts have been recovered so far, yielding the highest number of artifacts per square foot in downtown Charleston.
Rhett House Inn, Beaufort, United States
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Hyatt House Charleston - Historic District - Charleston Hotels, South Carolina
Hyatt House Charleston - Historic District 4 Stars Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina Within US Travel Directory Stay in the heart of Charleston One of our bestsellers in Charleston! Offering an indoor pool, free WiFi, and a breakfast with omelette bar, Hyatt House Charleston is located in the Upper King Historic District of Charleston. Within 10 minutes' walk of the hotel, guests will find The Joseph Manigault House, The Charleston Museum, and The Aiken-Rhett House.
A 42-inch flat-screen TV and work desk are provided in each Hyatt House room. A microwave, coffee machine, and small refrigerator are included. The private bathroom is equipped with a shower, hairdryer, and free toiletries.
A fitness centre with cardio equipment and weights is open 24 hours per day. Luggage storage and a vending machine are available for guests' convenience. H Bar offers beer, wine, and cocktails as well as light fare.The College of Charleston is located just 1 km away from this Hyatt. The South Carolina Aquarium and the Historic Charleston City Market are each 6 minutes' drive away from the hotel.
Hyatt House Charleston - Historic District - Charleston Hotels, South Carolina
Location in : 560 King Street, SC 29403, Charleston, South Carolina
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Charleston, South Carolina - Manigault House - May 2009
Troy ponders the virtues of rednecks and decides I am fat and a drunk. Heather is less than amused at having to wait for the tour. Great house though!! As you can probably guess, we are all nuts.