South Carolina Governor's Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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South Carolina Governor's Mansion
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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 | 800 Richland St., Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | attributed to George Edward Walker |
| Architectural style | Federal; post-colonial |
| Part of | Columbia Historic District I (ID71000798) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000597 |
The South Carolina Governor's Mansion is a very old and important house. It is where the governor of South Carolina lives with their family. This special home is in the Arsenal Hill neighborhood of Columbia, South Carolina. It was built a long time ago, in 1855. The mansion has a classic style, with white walls.
It used to be part of a military school called the Arsenal Academy. In 1865, during a big war, much of Columbia was burned. But this mansion was lucky! It was the only building from the academy that survived. Because it was still standing, it became the governor's official home in 1868. In 1970, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, which lists important historic places.
The mansion sits on a city block. It is surrounded by beautiful magnolia plants, elm and oak trees, and other plants. A round driveway leads to the main entrance, with a fountain in the middle. The building has a flat roof and a large main entrance area. Inside, there are 15 rooms, not counting smaller areas. Governor Henry McMaster and his family live there now.
Contents
History of the Governor's Mansion
Early Years (1800s)
We don't know for sure who designed the mansion. But many people think George Edward Walker was the architect. He designed other buildings in the area. The mansion was first built as housing for officers at the Arsenal Academy, a military school.
In 1865, during the American Civil War, the Union Army led by William Tecumseh Sherman burned much of Columbia. The mansion was the only building left from the military academy.
- In 1868, Governor James L. Orr decided the mansion would be the official home for future governors.
- In 1869, architect A. Y. Lee started making changes to the house. It needed to be suitable for a governor.
- The money ran out before the work was finished. Governor Robert K. Scott had to move into a house that wasn't fully ready.
Since 1868, only three governors have chosen not to live in the mansion. They stayed in their own homes in Columbia instead. One governor, Daniel Henry Chamberlain, likely didn't live there because the mansion needed repairs. The state even rented the house to a family for a while. Later, in 1886, Governor John Peter Richardson III gave money to make important changes to the building.
Changes and Growth (1900s)
By the late 1940s, the mansion had some serious problems. Repairs finally started in 1955. This meant Governor George Timmerman and his family had to move out for a year.
During Governor Donald S. Russell's time, the mansion got many improvements:
- The grounds around the house were made much nicer.
- A new driveway was added.
- A walled courtyard was built.
- The building's structure was made stronger.
- The inside of the house was completely redone.
Governor Ernest F. Hollings added a new guest wing and a family dining area. This part of the house was only one story tall.
Governor Robert E. McNair created a special committee. His wife, Josephine McNair, led this group. They worked to get many items for the mansion. These items showed South Carolina's history and culture.
- In 1968, the committee bought the Lace House next door. This created the Governor's Mansion Complex.
- In 1970, the state government gave the committee power to approve changes to the complex.
- In 1977, Ann Edwards, the governor's wife, started a group called the Governor's Mansion Foundation. This group raises money to help pay for the mansion's historic furniture.
- Around the same time, another nearby house, the Caldwell-Boylston House, was bought. These extra buildings are now used for offices, meetings, and events.
- By 1986, all three buildings were connected by a landscaping project. This made the complex 9 acres (36,000 m2) big.
In 1988, more problems were found with earlier repairs. But it took a while to plan new renovations. During Governor Carroll A. Campbell's time, a new guardhouse and a second fountain were added. The big renovation project began when David M. Beasley was governor. It finished in 2001 and cost over $6 million. In 1999, Governor James H. Hodges became the first governor in 120 years not to live in the mansion.
Recent Times (2000s)
In 2003, Governor Mark Sanford announced that the mansion might need to close for a few months. This was because of money problems. He said the state couldn't pay for the mansion's staff, electricity, and food. He also mentioned that the previous governor had used other money for the mansion. However, the former governor, Jim Hodges, said that the money set aside for the mansion was never enough. He also said it was normal to use other funds to help keep the house running.
A supporter of Governor Sanford started a fund to help keep the mansion open. A local company even donated food like grits to the governor. In 2008, improvements were made to help the building use less energy.
