Robinson-Aiken Slave Building & Kitchens, 48 Elizabeth Street, Charleston

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS SC,10-CHAR,177C-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

tectural character. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Original and Subsequent Owners: John Robinson, original owner, bought the land in (Charleston County Mesne Conveyance Office, vol. p. 393 [longhand]). He sold house in to William Aiken, Charles Edmonston and Lewis A. Pitray. (Ibid. vol. p* Governor William Aiken lived here and house went to his daughter, A. Burnet Rhett. (Information from I'On Lowndes Rhett). B. Date of Erection: About PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement 1. Architectural character: This building forms an integral part of a town house group which remains virtually complete. 2. Condition of fabric: Generally sound; trim on some unused portions is not maintained. B. Technical Description of Exterior 1.

Number of stories, over-all dimensions, layout: Two stories; ten bays; x rectangular. 2. Foundations: Very low. 3. Wall construction: Brick, stuccoed and marked off with "joints", courses 18" high, 15" thick. Weathered gray color; four courses of brick are high. 4. Structural system: Brick bearing walls, frame partitions, frame floor and roof systems.: Second-floor joists are 3" x 16" on centers. Lintels over openings in the brick walls are sash-sawn timbers. RGBINSON-AIKEN SIAVE BUILDI&G AND KITCHENS :HABS No. (Page 2) m 5. Chimneys: wall. Three, hooded chimneys along the east (rear) 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Six doorways simple masonry openings without tr m are on the west (front) wall;; the two toward the south end are divided, solid beldw and glazed above.

The other doors are hoard and batten, except for a two-panel replacement near the center. A wide doorway is centered on the north. end wall; the head is a four-centered arch. It contains a single door which is paneled near the bottom and louvsama above. b. Windows and shutters: The four first-story windows are closed by board and batten shutters. The ten second-story windows have a glazed transom above a board and batten shutter. A window centered above the north door has been altered; the original opening resembles that of the doorway. A small round opening containing a cast-iron grille is centered in the tympanum of the pediments. 7. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Gable roof, slate covering. b. Cornice: Bloclsy stucco cornice, which is pedimented at the gables, C.

Technical Description of Interior 1. Floor plans; first floor: A central stair hall,giving access to the second floor, separates a large kitchen (used for slaves originally) on the north end from two masters' Icitchen rooms at the south end. Second floor: Two rooms north of the stair and three rooms south of the stair. A narrow corridor along the west wall connects these rooms. The three interior rooms have only borrowed light, since the east wall is blank. 2. Stairways: There is a low landing; the stair is enclosed above. There are 16 risers. 3. Flooring: First floor: Wide boards. There are flagstones near the east wall of the south kitchen. Second floor: 6" tongue-and-groove pine boards; some 11" boards. 4. Wall and ceiling finishr Plaster, painted and whitewashed.

Plaster is applied direct to bricic walls, and to split RQBINSGN-AIKEN SLAVE BUILDING mo KITCHENS HABS No. (page 3) 9 wood lath on frame partitions and ceilings; there have "been repairs, and some places where it has fallen, "but in general the condition is good. 5. Doors: Board and batten doors, with transom lights above, wrought-iron strap hinges on pintles driven into casings. 6. Decorative features and trim: Doorways have plain trim; window openings have no trim. The south kitchen has a hook strip along the wall. 7. Notable hardware: Some old east-iron box locks remain. 8. Heating: Second-floor rooms have simple fireplaces. There are three large arched kitchen fireplaces. The one in the north kitchen retains a wrought-iron crane.

The one in the south kitchen has been closed; a large built- in stove with a hood above was built alongside. The built-in stove is of a mid-19th century type. D. Site 1. Orientation: The building was originally detached from house, but now adjoins a modern kitchen wing which was attached to the house. The west front faces the yard, and balances the service building and stable, which it resembles closely. Prepared by Harley J. McKee, Architect National Park Service June Addendum to: Robinson-Aiken Slave Building and Kitchens HABS No. 48 Elizabeth Street Charleston Charleston County South Carolina J PHOTOGRAPHS Historic American Buildings Survey National Park Service Department of the Interior Washington,