We visited the Aiken-Rhett house in Charleston, South Carolina today. I have been to this lovely city many times, but have never toured this treasure. My blogger friend Ted Jennings of TPJ Photography recommended that I go there because of its uniqueness. (Thanks Ted.)    I was thrilled by the authenticity of this house, dependency buildings, workyard and stables. It is owned by the Charleston Foundation and first opened for tours in 1995.

The house was built in 1820  and modified in 1835 and again in 1854. It has been “frozen in time” since then. The audio tour mentions the names some of the enslaved people who worked there and described the fate of some of their decendents. This is an important part of the history of Charleston that should be included.

The slave quarters were on the floor above the kitchen and laundry. Families shared seperate rooms with very little ventilation because all windows opened onto the workyard.

I have toured many Charleston houses but gained real insight from seeing the deteroration and wear from years of use and damage from Hurricane Hugo. Seeing a preserved mansion forces the visitors to appreciate how much work is required to restore houses like the Manigault house which will be in my next post.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the Aiken-Rhett Complex.

This house was amazing. The audio tour included some great historic details that I want to follow up on later.

FLOWER