The Calhoun Mansion

I promised sometime ago that I would start featuring some places around Charleston.  I first showed you the beautiful Angel Oak here.  Now I would like to take you to see one of America's true showplaces, the Calhoun Mansion.

My in-laws were here for a visit and we always try to go tour a new place.  We decided this home would be the perfect place.  We have been by many times and always said we should go, so we did!  It was amazing!

This magnificent baronial Italianate manor boasts 35 rooms and 23 period fireplaces within 24,000 square feet.    The collection of antiquities is amazing.  The main entrance hall is 14 feet wide, 14 feet high and 65 feet long.  The main stairwell is a gorgeous piece of woodwork, but is topped by a 75 foot domed wood ceiling that looks like the underside of a boat.  It is breathtaking!  The dining room is a showplace with a glass vaulted ceiling.   This and a period child's bedroom was Jemma's favorite!  This is the largest private residence in Charleston.

This home was built in 1876, but the land was revered before then as a part of the  Lowndes property owned by Governor  Charles Pickney who hosted George Washington here three times in May of 1791.  

The property was purchased by George Walton Williams who had amassed a great fortune in the shipping business.  He wanted to build a grand residence to show the reemergence of Charleston after the Civil War.  He paid $200,000 and the home took 5 years to build and employed hundreds of local craftsmen and artisans that would have otherwise been unemployed.  He had four children and built homes for them also.   His daughter, Sarah, married Patrick Calhoun, grandson of Vice President John C. Calhoun, and she inherited the home in 1903.

Seven years after they inherited it, they hired the glass designer and manufacturer Louis Comfort Tiffany to decorate their home.  He created the vast majority of the gasoliers in the home.  They are called this as they were originally used with gas before there was electricity.  One story was how Tiffany sent them an extraordinary gift of a Japanese tea set that he had.  The Calhoun's sent it back because they didn't like how the teacups didn't have handles and the teapot was too different.  Months later, Mr. Tiffany sent them a lovely gasolier and had used all the pieces of the Japanese set within the design.  He meant for them to have it!

Calhoun lost all his money in the stock market crash and in the following year sold all the furniture and fixtures of the home.  Only one fireplace is still remaining today with the original tiles.  A year later the home was auctioned off to pay creditors.

The home went through many hands after that and at one time served as a home for those in the Navy.  Needless to say, the home was in horrible condition and in 1972 it was condemned.  A Charleston native purchased the home at that time for $220,000 and began massive restoration work that cost approximately 5 million dollars over the last 30 years.  To this day, renters live in the bottom part to help pay expenses!  The Washington lawyer that owns it now still uses it as a residence and has parties in the dining room often.  The family just moves the ropes and uses the home.  The entire third floor is a  floor for their guests.

I can't begin to tell you all the things crammed in this home.  When I say crammed, I mean that in a good way.  It is true to a Victorian style.  Many pieces lovingly displayed and used.

The gardens are a sight to behold and I went camera crazy.  We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but I did try to capture the beauty of the outside for you!  Of course, Jemma is in there too!

This is my mother-in-law standing in front of the very impressive doors.  The originals were actually blown off during Hurricane Hugo, but were rebuilt by using the doors from one of the other homes built by Mr. Williams.   Notice the rope detail around the doors.  You will see it everywhere as Mr. Williams used this to show his wealth came from the shipping industry.  

A Charleston home just isn't right without a gas lamp.  I will have one someday!

This is the tile floor in the front entrance.  Notice more rope detail.

The piazzas off the side.  The ceilings are painted "Haint Blue".  This color is said to keep out the haints or ghosts.

The BHW and his father

I love this face!

These next pictures were taken from the website.

This gasolier showing is the one designed with the Japanese tea set.  The corner nook is filled with religious artifacts.  There are many more pieces in the room than shown here.   The owner continues to collect and add.  

The dining room.  Jemma loved the fact that the small table in the back was for the children.  There are so many more glass and crystals displayed in here now.  It was amazing.  The chandelier is Baccarat.

This is the vaulted glass ceiling of the other dining room or maybe this was the ballroom.  I will ask the in-laws.  I was answering 750 questions from my tiny historian!

The gorgeous staircase

 The religious nook that has significantly more pieces today!

This was around the side of the house.  No detail was overlooked.  You get a glimpse into the religious nook in the sitting room.  There are many different statues and pieces representing many religions so as not to offend anyone.

It was a beautiful day!  Thanks for joining me!