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There have been few alterations and you get it as is, peeling Parisian wallpaper and all. Find must-see attractions and long-distance travel resources, including visa information, regional overviews and tour operator credentials.
Aiken-Rhett House, 1820: A Timeless Chronicle of Charleston’s History
The original staircase which was smaller and less ornate, though still detailed, became the back stairwell. The passageway is an ornate Gibbs surround made out of marble with a mahogany door outfitted with a semicircular fanlight and sidelights with decorative grillwork. William Aiken, Jr. died in 1887 at his summer home in Flat Rock, North Carolina. Her daughter, Henrietta, and son-in-law, Major A.B. Rhett, raised their four sons and one daughter in the house.
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The house’s preservation, rather than restoration, approach ensures that visitors experience the property as it was in the 1850s. The wear and tear, the layers of paint, and the untouched artifacts all tell a story, making the Aiken-Rhett House not just a museum, but a living narrative. The mansion’s design is a blend of urban sophistication and rural plantation aesthetics. Its expansive double piazzas, intricate ironwork, and stately brick facade are emblematic of Charleston’s architectural grandeur during the 19th century. Inside, the original wallpapers, ornate chandeliers, and period-appropriate furnishings transport visitors back to an era of Southern elegance. The gallery features a four-paneled skylight and an ornate plaster cornice adorned with fruit and leaf motifs.
Charleston's 19th Century Gem: The Aiken Rhett House
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. Joe Demarest, with Historic Charleston Foundation, visits the Aiken-Rhett House to see the designer vignettes decorating the historic house during The Charleston Festival on March 15, 2024. In essence, the Aiken-Rhett House’s location provides visitors with a gateway to explore the multifaceted charm of Charleston, from its storied past to its dynamic present. Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or someone simply looking to soak in the city’s ambiance, there’s something for everyone in this historic enclave. Interior stalls with troughs, which were used for feeding, still exist with worn areas where livestock chewed them many years ago. On the upper level of this building, which is not open for touring, more bedrooms and storage areas exist for the enslaved workers who tended to the animals and driving.
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The home was sold to the Charleston Museum in the 1970s and acquired by the Historic Charleston Foundation in 1995. You may wonder, does this Aiken family legacy have a connection to Aiken, South Carolina? The president of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company was none other than William Aiken, who first purchased the house from John Robinson. The town of Aiken, SC, is famous for this railroad and the Battle of Aiken that happened near the end of the Civil War on February 11, 1865. After William died in 1887, the Charleston mansion was left to his wife and daughter. Once his wife passed in 1892, his daughter, Henrietta, and her husband lived in the residence with their five children.
The History of Aiken-Rhett House
Welcoming visitors to the whimsical space were larger-than-life frog statues stationed in corners of the dining room, shrouded by live oak branches, marsh grasses and ferns. The preserved elements served as an inspiration to interior designers, like Rebecca Gardner of Houses and Parties, whose team transformed the dining room into a party fit for a king, or rather, a Frog Prince. Constructed in 1820 by John Robinson, a wealthy merchant, the home on Elizabeth Street later housed South Carolina Gov. William Aiken and his family.
SC Tourism Regions
Most scholars of southern history and culture define antebellum plantation mansions being surrounded by agricultural developments, such as other Charleston area plantations, Drayton Hall, McLeod Plantation, and Magnolia Plantation. By the time that the American Civil War broke out, at least 13 enslaved people were at the Aiken property, including 6 children. The only surviving urban town-house complex, this 1820 abode gives a fascinating glimpse into antebellum life on a 45-minute self-guided audio tour. The role of slaves is emphasized, and visitors wander into their dorm-style quarters behind the house before moving on to the lifestyle of the rich and famous.
Where History Meets Hospitality ™
While the Nathaniel Russell House has been restored to the way it would have looked in the 19th century, using reproductions and modern craftsmen to replicate damaged décor, the Aiken-Rhett House takes a preservation-based approach to protecting the property. The visual effect might not be as striking as the brightly colored walls and faux marble of the Nathaniel Russell House, but seeing the original, untouched detailing in the Aiken-Rhett House is absolutely fascinating. The Aiken-Rhett House is one of the best places in Charleston to get a feel for what life was like in the Holy City in the 19th century. Unlike many of the historic homes in Charleston that have been through numerous renovations and alterations over the years, the Aiken-Rhett house has not been significantly changed since 1857, making it a virtual time capsule of 1800s architecture.
Visit the Aiken-Rhett House
The house and its surviving furnishings offer a compelling portrait of urban life in antebellum Charleston, as well as a Southern politician, slaveholder and industrialist. The house spent 142 years in the Aiken family's hands before being sold to the Charleston Museum and opened as a museum house in 1975. While touring the house, you will discover the illustrious family history and gain an authentic 19th-century experience. As you stroll through the house and adjacent grounds with the original stables, kitchens, and slave quarters, you'll see the original paints and floors, bringing to life the conditions of those who lived there.
Aiken used the home as a rental property until his death in 1831, when his assets were divided between his wife and his only son, William Aiken, Jr., was a successful rice planter who would later become a prominent statesman and governor of South Carolina. He and his wife, Harriet, moved into the house in 1833 and began an extensive renovation of the property. One of the reasons that there are so many magnificent homes in Charleston is that in the 1800s, wealthy Charleston families saw their houses not only as the center of their family life but as the hub of their social life as well. The homes were show pieces meant to display the family's status to their guests. The Aiken house was no exception, and Aiken Jr. made major renovations to the home, including moving the front entrance and building a large addition, calculated to make the home more impressive.
Beyond its architectural significance, the Aiken-Rhett House provides profound insights into the daily lives of its inhabitants, both free and enslaved. The main house, with its grand drawing rooms and bedchambers, showcases the luxury and privilege enjoyed by the Aiken family. In stark contrast, the preserved outbuildings, including the original slave quarters, shed light on the lives of the enslaved Africans and African Americans who worked and lived on the property. This juxtaposition paints a comprehensive picture of Charleston’s societal structure during the antebellum period. 1820, the Aiken-Rhett House is the most intact townhouse complex showcasing urban life in antebellum Charleston.
The house and its outbuildings are one of the most complete and best preserved urban domestic complexes of the antebellum era. 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. Pieces of furniture, paint and other architectural elements have been untouched since the 19th century. As visitors step through its doors, they are transported to the antebellum South, an era marked by its lavish grandeur, intricate societal norms, and pivotal moments that would shape the nation’s future.
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. "We’re not people that are just going to ignore that this is here. We’re in the heart of history, and we want this to be an opportunity for people to understand the space," Holian said. Furniture could not be moved, art could not be affixed to the walls and even lamps had to be battery-operated, as power in the home was a constraint of the antebellum-era home.
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