Isaac Jenkins Mikell House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Issac Jenkins Mikell House
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Issac Jenkins Mikell House
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 94 Rutledge Ave., Charleston, South Carolina |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1853–1854 |
| Architectural style | Roman Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000056 |
| Added to NRHP | March 11, 2014 |
The Isaac Jenkins Mikell House is a grand old home in Charleston, South Carolina. It was built between 1853 and 1854. This impressive house was designed in a style called Roman Revival. It looks like a fancy Italian villa.
The house was built by Isaac Jenkins Mikell. He was a wealthy cotton planter from Edisto Island. He built this home for his wife, Mary Martha Pope. It's important to remember that during this time, many wealthy planters, including Mikell, relied on the forced labor of enslaved people. Mikell had 154 enslaved people working for him when this house was built.
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Exploring the Mikell House
The Isaac Jenkins Mikell House is a very impressive building. It has many interesting features.
Grand Design and Details
The front of the house faces Montagu Street. It has a large porch with a triangular roof, called a pediment. Six tall columns support this roof. These columns have special tops called composite capitals. They are carved from cypress wood and decorated with rams' heads.
Besides the main house, there are other buildings on the property. These include a kitchen building and a separate coach house. A photograph from 1939 shows the buildings where workers lived.
A Mix-Up with Another House
It's easy to get this house confused with another one. Isaac Jenkins Mikell also built a plantation home around 1840. That house is called Peter's Point Plantation. Sometimes, people also refer to Peter's Point Plantation as the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House. But they are two different places!
History of the Mikell House
The Isaac Jenkins Mikell House has had many different owners and uses over the years.
From Home to Library
In 1935, the Charleston Free Library bought the house. It became a public library for many years. People could visit the grand old house to borrow books. The house served as a library until the early 1960s.
Back to a Private Home
After its time as a library, the house was sold again. It was carefully restored to become a private home once more. In 2008, the house was sold for $4.8 million. It was bought by Patricia Altschul. She is a well-known person from Manhattan.
Featured on TV
Today, the house is often seen on a TV show called Southern Charm. This is a reality show on the Bravo channel. Patricia Altschul is the mother of Whitney Sudler-Smith. He is a filmmaker and also helps produce the show. He is a regular cast member on Southern Charm.
A Historic Landmark
In 2014, the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical building. It is protected for future generations to appreciate.
