Gov. Thomas Bennett House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gov. Thomas Bennett House
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 69 Barre St., Charleston, South Carolina |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1825 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002496 |
| Added to NRHP | January 31, 1978 |
The Gov. Thomas Bennett House is a historic home located in Charleston, South Carolina. You can find it at 69 Barre Street. This beautiful house was built around 1825. It stands on land that used to belong to Thomas Bennett, Sr., who was a well-known architect and builder. The house was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, recognizing its importance.
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History of the Bennett House
The house is named after Thomas Bennett, Jr. (1781-1865). He was the son of Thomas Bennett, Sr. Thomas Bennett, Jr. took over his father's business, which involved lumber and mills.
Thomas Bennett, Jr.'s Public Service
Besides his business, Thomas Bennett, Jr. was very active in politics. He held many important jobs in South Carolina.
- He was the superintendent of Charleston.
- He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives.
- He was even the speaker of the House from 1814 to 1818.
- He was a member of the South Carolina Senate.
- Most notably, he served as the governor of South Carolina.
After his time as governor, Thomas Bennett, Jr. decided to build this special house. It was built on land that overlooked his own rice and sawmills.
Architecture of the House
The inside of the Gov. Thomas Bennett House is famous for its Regency style details. This style was popular in the early 1800s.
Unique Staircase Design
One of the most amazing features inside is the cantilevered stair. This means the staircase seems to float without visible support from below. It's built into the wall. This type of staircase is very rare. In Charleston, the only other one like it is at the Nathaniel Russell House.
The house has a basic "double house" floorplan. This means it has two main rooms on each side of a central hallway.
