Woodburn (Pendleton, South Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Woodburn
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Woodburn in 2009
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Pendleton, South Carolina |
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| Built | ca. 1830 |
| Part of | Pendleton Historic District (ID70000560) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000741 |
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1971 |
Woodburn is a beautiful old house located near Pendleton, South Carolina. It's also known as the Woodburn Plantation. This historic home is in Anderson County, South Carolina, right off U.S. Route 76.
Woodburn was built around 1830 as a summer getaway. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 6, 1970. This means it's a special place recognized for its history. Woodburn is also part of the larger Pendleton Historic District, which includes many other important old buildings.
Contents
Discovering Woodburn's Past
Woodburn was built around 1830 by a man named Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. He was a very important person in South Carolina. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1789–1865) was the son of Thomas Pinckney. He was named after his uncle, who helped write the United States Constitution. The younger Pinckney even served as the lieutenant governor of South Carolina from 1832 to 1834.
Charles Pinckney bought the land for Woodburn in 1828. His brother, Thomas Pinckney, also had a summer home nearby called "Altamont," but that house is no longer standing.
Who Lived at Woodburn?
Over the years, Woodburn had several owners. In 1852, Charles Pinckney sold the house to David S. Taylor. David Taylor then sold it to John Bailey Adger. Dr. Adger had been a missionary, traveling to places like Smyrna and Constantinople.
Later, in 1858, Dr. Adger sold Woodburn to his brother, Joseph E. Adger. In 1881, Augustine T. Smythe bought the property. He turned Woodburn into a top-notch farm, raising purebred cattle and race horses.
In 1911, William Frederick Calhoun Owen purchased the land. However, he lost it in 1930 because of a mortgage issue. After that, John Frank bought it. Eventually, the U.S. government owned Woodburn, and then Clemson College took it over. Today, the Pendleton Historic Foundation proudly owns and cares for Woodburn.
A Special Person from Woodburn
An amazing woman named Jane Edna Hunter was born at Woodburn Plantation in 1882. Her parents were sharecroppers, meaning they farmed land owned by someone else. Jane Edna Hunter grew up to become an important social worker. She started the Phillis Wheatley Association in Cleveland. This organization was named after Phillis Wheatley, a famous African-American poet from the time of the American Revolution.
Visiting Woodburn Today
Today, Woodburn is a museum that you can visit! The Pendleton Historic Foundation runs it. You can explore eighteen furnished rooms spread across three floors. The museum is open on Sunday and Saturday afternoons from April to October. Right next to Woodburn, you can also find the Pendleton District Agricultural Museum.
Exploring Woodburn's Design
The original Woodburn house was built around 1830. It was made even bigger in 1850. The house used to have a "widow's walk" at the very top, which is a small platform often found on coastal homes. This was removed in the 20th century.
What Does Woodburn Look Like?
Woodburn is a two-and-a-half-story house built on a raised basement. It's covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The house was designed in a "Charleston-type" style. This means it was built to catch cool summer breezes, which was very important before air conditioning!
The house has a large porch, or veranda, that wraps around three sides. There are two sets of stairs leading from the ground up to the first floor. These stairs lead to French doors, which open into the parlor or the drawing room. Some of the windows on the second floor have special hinged panels below them. These panels allow you to easily step out onto the veranda.
Inside, the rooms have very high ceilings, which also helps keep the house cool. Most of the inside walls are covered with wide horizontal wooden boards. The basement has a warming kitchen and a dining room. This dining room stays nice and cool even on hot summer days.
