William Aiken House and Associated Railroad Structures facts for kids
|
William Aiken House and Associated Railroad Structures
|
|
Camden Depot (1969 HABS photo)
|
|
 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Properties on King, John, and Meeting Streets, Charleston, South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Area | 27 acres (11 ha) |
| Built | 1807 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000698 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | November 4, 1963 |
The William Aiken House and Associated Railroad Structures is a special historic area in Charleston, South Carolina. It includes old buildings from the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company. It also features the home of William Aiken, who started the company.
This area has one of the largest collections of old railroad buildings in the United States. These buildings were all built before the American Civil War. The district was named a National Historic Landmark in 1963. This means it is a very important place in American history.
Contents
Exploring the William Aiken House and Railroad History
This historic area is split into three main parts. The biggest part is found between Mary, King, Meeting, and John Streets. This section is just north of Charleston's old downtown. Here you can find the Aiken House and parts of the main railroad station. There are also old storage buildings.
A smaller part of the area is on Line Street, between King and Meeting Streets. This is where the railroad company fixed and updated its train cars. These two areas are connected by the old railroad tracks. You can still see where the tracks used to be in most places.
The Aiken House Story
The Aiken House is located at the corner of King and Ann Streets. It is a two-story wooden house built in 1807. It has a porch that runs along its south side. This house is where the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company began in 1827.
William Aiken, an immigrant from Ireland, was the first president of this company. The railroad tracks were built between 1830 and 1833. Sadly, William Aiken died during this time. His carriage overturned when horses got scared by construction noises.
Another sad event was the explosion of the Best Friend of Charleston. This was the first steam train made in America. When the railroad opened, it had the longest track in the world. It stretched for 136 miles (219 km) under one company's control.
Important Railroad Buildings
There are two main train station buildings in the district. The "Camden Depot" is on John Street. The "Tower Depot" is on Mary Street. Today, the Tower Depot is mostly just two towers with a castle-like design.
These two buildings were finished in 1850. Two large storage buildings were built nearby in the next ten years. These stations and one warehouse look special because of their Gothic Revival style. This style is not often seen on railroad buildings.
The Tower Depot was the first passenger station for the railroad. But it was only used until 1853. Then, a new station was built closer to Line Street. In 1857, a large brick building was built near the main railroad line. This building was used to repair train cars.
.jpg)
Buildings in the Historic District
Many buildings help make this area special. These are called "contributing buildings." They are important to the history of the site.
- William Aiken House: Built in 1807. It had an octagonal (eight-sided) part added later.
- A coach house behind the Aiken House gardens.
- Camden Depot: An important railroad station.
- Deans Warehouse: Built in 1856 for storage.
- South Carolina Railroad Warehouse: Another storage building.
- Tower Passenger Depot: The original passenger station.
- Line Street Car and Carpenter Shops: Where train cars were fixed.
- Railroad Right-of-Way: The path where the train tracks used to be.
- "Best Friend of Charleston" Replica: A copy of the first American-made steam train.
Some other buildings are in the district but are not part of its historic importance. These are called "non-contributing structures."
- Hughes Lumber Company Warehouse and Martshink Beer Warehouse
- A shed that holds the "Best Friend of Charleston" replica train.
- Other buildings along John Street, King Street, and Meeting Street. These include apartment buildings, shops, and other businesses.
Gallery
-
426 King Street
-
434 King Street
-
436 (right) and 438 (left) King Street
-
464 King Street
-
466 King Street
-
A replica of the Best Friend of Charleston engine and tender are loaded on a truck for transport to Norfolk Southern in Atlanta – August 6, 2007.
