Joseph H. Rainey House facts for kids
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Joseph H. Rainey House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 909 Prince St., Georgetown, South Carolina |
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| Built | ca. 1760 |
| Part of | Georgetown Historic District (ID71000781) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003877 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 20, 1984 |
| Designated NHL | April 20, 1984 |
| Designated CP | October 14, 1971 |
The Joseph H. Rainey House, also known as the Rainey-Camlin House, is a very old and important house. You can find it at 909 Prince Street in Georgetown, South Carolina. This house was built a long time ago, around the 1760s. It was once the home of Joseph H. Rainey, who was the first African American to serve in the United States Congress. He was born into slavery but became a free man. In 1984, this house was recognized as a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a really special place in American history.
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Who Was Joseph H. Rainey?
Joseph H. Rainey was born in 1832 in Georgetown, South Carolina. His parents were slaves, but they worked hard and managed to buy their own freedom. This meant Joseph was also a free person. His parents ran a successful barbershop in Charleston, South Carolina. Because of their hard work, Joseph was able to get some private education.
Early Life and Escape
In 1861, Joseph Rainey worked as a steward on a ship that was trying to avoid a naval blockade during the American Civil War. In 1862, he was forced to work for the Confederacy as a laborer. However, he and his wife were able to escape to Bermuda. While in Bermuda, he continued to work as a barber and kept learning.
Return to South Carolina and Political Career
Joseph Rainey and his wife returned to South Carolina in 1866. Just two years later, in 1868, he was elected to the South Carolina state senate. This was a big step for him.
In 1870, he took on a new role in the U.S. Congress. He filled a position that was left open due to problems with the previous representative, B. F. Whittemore. Joseph Rainey was reelected several times and served four terms in Congress. He finally lost his election in 1878.
He was the longest-serving African American congressman for many years. This record was not broken until William L. Dawson served in the 1950s.
As a Congressman, Joseph Rainey strongly supported laws that protected the rights of African Americans. He spoke out for the enforcement of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. This law was important for fighting against groups that tried to stop African Americans from using their new rights.
Joseph Rainey returned to his home in Georgetown in 1886. He passed away the following year, in 1887.
The Historic Home on Prince Street
People in Georgetown believe that the Joseph H. Rainey House was where he was born in 1832. They also think his family lived there until they moved to Charleston in 1846. What we know for sure is that this house was where he started his political journey in 1867.
While Joseph Rainey was serving in Congress, this house was his main office in his home district. He also lived here when he was on breaks from his work in Washington, D.C.
About the House Itself
The house on Prince Street in Georgetown is a single-family home. It is covered in wooden boards called clapboard. The house is 2½ stories tall and has two chimneys. It has a special kind of roof called a hipped roof, which has slopes on all four sides. There are also dormer windows that stick out from the roof.
The house was carefully restored between 1973 and 1974. Many parts of the home are still original, just as they were when it was built. This includes beautiful cypress wood panels, old pine floors, and wooden wainscoting on the walls.
The Joseph H. Rainey House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Later, in 1984, it was also named a National Historic Landmark. This shows how important this house is to American history.
