National Register of Historic Places

Nicholson, James, House

Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina
Listed
August 29, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74001832

About this property

The James Nicholson House is a notable early 19th-century residence in Charleston, South Carolina which has housed the Ashley Hall school since 1909. The house was built ca. 1816 for Patrick Duncan. The architect for the house is not known, but authorities cite William Jay as its possible designer; he worked in Charleston and Savannah between 1817 and 1822. James Nicholson owned the property from 1829 to 1838 when James R. Pringle bought it; after Pringle's death, his family sold it in 1845 to Secretary of the Confederate Treasury General George Trenholm. From 1877 to 1909, it was the home of Charles Otto Witte's family, the foremost banker in South Carolina. Many characters in Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind novel, including Rhett Butler, were based upon residents of this historic homestead, and the O'Hara plantation itself was modeled on its grounds. The Classical Revival building is stuccoed brick. The main two floors are above a high, rusticated basement. The portico is supported by four giant-order Ionic columns with Renaissance capitals. The pediment has a three-part Gothic window. Originally open (as seen in the 1876 photograph to the left), the arches of the basement have been enclosed with windows. The house was listed in the National Register August 30, 1974.

Location

172 Rutledge Ave.
Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina
32.78694, -79.94539

Categories

COMMERCEEDUCATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Robb, William, House
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0.1 mi
Porter Military Academy
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0.1 mi
Sparrow, James, House
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0.2 mi
Rhett, Robert Barnwell, House
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0.2 mi
Old Bethel United Methodist Church
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Nicholson, James, House listed on the National Register?

Nicholson, James, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 29, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Nicholson, James, House?

Nicholson, James, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Nicholson, James, House?

The period of significance for Nicholson, James, House is recorded as the industrial era.

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