Price's Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Price's Post Office
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Price House in 2021
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1200 Oak View Farm Road Woodruff, South Carolina |
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| Nearest city | Woodruff, South Carolina |
| Built | ca. 1800 |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000174 |
| Added to NRHP | October 28, 1969 |
The Price House, also known as Price's Post Office, is a historic home built around 1800. It is located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. This special house once served as a family home, a general store, and even a post office! Today, it is a museum where visitors can learn about life in the early 1800s. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 28, 1969, which means it is recognized as an important historical site. You can find it where Oak View Farm Road, Old Switzer Road, and Price House Road meet.
The History of Price's Post Office
Thomas Price, a clever businessman, moved to the Spartanburg area around 1793. He owned a lot of land and ran several businesses. Next to his home, he operated a general store and a post office. The post office was open from about 1811 to 1820. He also farmed a large area of land, about 2,000 acres (809 hectares).
The Price House was an important stop on the Spartanburg stagecoach line. This was a route for horse-drawn carriages that carried people and mail. Thomas Price also ran a "publick house," which was like a tavern or inn, where travelers could rest.
When Thomas Price's wife, Anne, passed away in 1821, a detailed list of their belongings was made. This list showed that their home was very well-furnished for the time. It included a fancy four-poster bed with curtains, an 8-day clock, a desk, and a bookcase filled with books. They also had farm equipment like grindstones, a loom for weaving, a spinning wheel, and a cotton picking machine.
After the American Civil War, the house was owned by Captain George Bobo Dean. He lived there until he became the Sheriff of Spartanburg and moved into town. Later, the house was passed down to his eldest son, James Madison Dean. The Dean family owned the house until about 1936. Then, the Spartanburg County Historical Association bought it.
Today, the Price House is a historic house museum. The Spartanburg County Historical Association operates it. You can visit the museum on Sunday afternoons throughout the year. During the summer, it is also open on Saturdays. You can also arrange a visit by making a reservation.
The Architecture of the Price House
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The Price House is a 2½-story brick house with a special type of roof called a gambrel roof. At the time it was built, this kind of roof was unusual in upstate South Carolina. The brick walls are very thick, about 18 inches (46 cm). The bricks are laid in a pattern called Flemish bond, with some bricks darkened to create a design.
Inside the house, the walls and ceilings are covered with wood panels. On the first floor, there is a parlor, which is a formal living room. It is called the Pine Room because of its wood paneling. There is also a large dining room where both the family and stagecoach travelers would eat. These two rooms are separated by a central hallway that goes through every floor of the house.
The second floor has one small bedroom and two larger bedrooms. The very top floor, under the eaves of the roof, has two more bedrooms. One was for male travelers and the other for female travelers.
Around 1820, an extension was added to the back of the house. This extension was likely built for servants. It is made of bricks laid in a pattern called English bond. This part of the house is now used as a kitchen.
