Hampton–Preston House facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hampton–Preston Mansion & Gardens
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Hampton–Preston House
Location in South Carolina Show map of South Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, South Carolina
Area	0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built	1818
Architect	Zachariah Philips, Robert Yates
NRHP reference No.	69000172
Added to NRHP	July 29, 1969

The Hampton–Preston House is a very old and important house in Columbia, South Carolina. It is located at 1615 Blanding Street. This historic mansion was once the home of the powerful Hampton family. Today, it is a museum where you can learn about life in South Carolina long ago. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 29, 1969.

A Historic Home in Columbia

The Hampton–Preston House has a long and interesting history. It was built a long time ago and has seen many changes.

Who Lived in the House?

• Ainsley Hall, a rich merchant from Columbia, had the house built in 1818.
• A few years later, Wade Hampton I bought the house. He was a general in the War of 1812.
• Wade Hampton I was a very wealthy planter who grew cotton.
• His son, Wade Hampton II, and grandson, Wade Hampton III, also lived in the house at different times.
• After Wade Hampton I passed away, his daughter Caroline and her husband, State Senator John S. Preston, became the owners.

The House During the Civil War

• During the later part of the American Civil War, the house was used for a different purpose.
• It became the headquarters for Union Maj. Gen. John A. Logan.
• This was when the Union Army occupied Columbia.
• In 1890, the South Carolina Presbyterian Institute for Young Ladies bought the mansion.

What Does the House Look Like?

• The Hampton–Preston House is built in a style called post-Colonial, Classical Revival.
• It has a wide porch, called a veranda, across the front.
• This porch has strong Doric columns and a special fan-shaped window above.
• Inside, there is a grand circular staircase with shiny mahogany railings.
• A beautiful crystal chandelier hangs in the middle of the main hall.
• The rooms inside are very large and spacious.
• One room has a white marble fireplace mantel made by the famous sculptor Hiram Powers.
• The gardens around the house used to cover a whole city block.
• They were very famous throughout the state.
• Sadly, these gardens were later removed and became a parking lot.

The House Today

• The Hampton–Preston House was carefully restored.
• It reopened to the public in 1970 as a museum.
• The museum helps people understand what life was like for wealthy families in South Carolina before the Civil War.
• The Historic Columbia Foundation operates the museum.
• The house is part of the Columbia Historic District II.

See also

In Spanish: Casa Hampton–Preston para niños