kids encyclopedia robot

Gov. Thomas Bennett House facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Gov. Thomas Bennett House
69 Barre.JPG
Gov. Thomas Bennett House is located in South Carolina
Gov. Thomas Bennett House
Location in South Carolina
Gov. Thomas Bennett House is located in the United States
Gov. Thomas Bennett House
Location in the United States
Location 69 Barre St., Charleston, South Carolina
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.

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

Bennett south
Look closely at the fancy woodwork around the main entrance and on the porches (piazzas) on the south side 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.

kids search engine
Gov. Thomas Bennett House Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.