Thomas Bennett House, 89 Smith Street, Charleston

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS SC,10-CHAR,175-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Dwelling Brief Statement A nineteenth century house once owned by Thomas of Signific~~: Bennett, Governor of South Carolina, with unique architectural details PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Original and subsequent owners: Thomas Bennett, original owner, bought land in (Charleston County Mesne Con- veyance, Book p. 167 L!ongha~) and sold property to his son, W. J. Bennett, Dec. 30, (Book Two days later, the latter sold the house and lot to Simons Lucas and Henry E. Lucas, trustees Later owners were Edward C. Jones, architect Charles Ho Cohrs Joseph Purcell (A-15, George Little Hugh A. Little Josephine B. Little Doris Werner; John F. Werner; Augusta Werner and Ruth O. Williams, the present owner 2.

Date of erection: Between and (Charleston County Mesne Conveyance Office, and 3. Architect: Unknown 4. Builder, suppliers, etc.: Unknown B. Historical Events Connected With Structure: Thomas Bennett was governor of South Carolina (His tombstone, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina) Prepared by Beatrice St. J. Ravenel August THOMAS BENNETT HOUSE HABS No. (Page 2) PART II. ARCHITEOTUR.Al, INFORY.tATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural Character: A house in the Greek Revival tradition, somewhat altered, with unique bay windows. 2. Condition of Fabric: Excellent B. Technical Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: About 48' (3 bays) frontage; two stories; faces easto 2. Foundations: About 5' high, stucco over brick, rusticated under the bay windows.

Rear portion on piers. 3. Wall construction: Frame, narrow clapboards. 4. Porches: A straight flight of masonry steps, with stuccoed side blocks, leads up to a squarish entrance porch with two fluted wooden Greek Doric columns with fluted pilasters re- sponding at the wall, and an orthodox entablature. The en- trance doorway is sLrple, having a rectangular transom and side lights with 1-Ja.nels below. Stucco consoles flank the threshold. A modern porch has been built over this at the second story. A simple two-story wooden porch or. the west side appears to be a later addition; there is no indication of it in a survey of .LEobert C. Allen, Survey Charleston, Vol. I (Field Notebook), page dated May 3, 18 . 5. Chirr:ney: Brick, centrally located. 6.

Openings: windows: Double hung sash, six ligl'Jts over six lights, with plain trir and heavy sills, Windows on front elevation are triple, First floor windows have paneled shutters, second floor lruva-en shutters. At the north and south ends of the front portion of the house are similar bay windows of remarkable design, ex- tending the height of the first floor, with basement piers underneath. In plan, the central portion of each bay forms a projecting splayed alcove on the interior with a window at each side in the plane of the main wall. On the exterior the central projecting portion is flanked oy concave sections which join it to the wall. The whole is treated with orders. The entablature contains a very wide cove, with fascia and THCMAS BENNETT HOUSE HABS No.

(Page 3) small cyma reversa above it; below the cove is a heavy moulding and a narrow architrave. Pilaster capitals are bell-shaped with three rows or simple leaves and rounded abacus. The abacus or two capitals retain a three-lobed division. These capitals, and the entab- lature, appear to have been derived freely i'rom Egyptian models or the Ftolemaic or Roman period. Pilasters have i'ive !'lutes on the face; the pilasters in the center are angular in plan. Below the pilasters are simple pedestals with a paneled railing-motif between them. The central panel simulates a railing with small arches and imposts; the side panels are simpler, simulating a railing with rectangular openings.

On the central projection, between pilasters, is a paneled motir--a conventionalized representation of the inside of a window with partly drawn drapery, disclosing paneled interior shutters. The simulated window trim has an anta at each side with two narrow panels terminating in a pointed arch; the mouldings of the antae capitals continue across the top, with a cresting above--small anthemions alternating with balls. Over each anta is a larger anthemion. 7. Root: a. Shape, covering: The pitch is very low or flat. b. Cornice: The house cornice has prominent bed mouldings, and a plain frieze below. It is surmounted by a low parapet with modem sheet metal gutters. c. Teclmical Description of Interiors: 1.

Floor plans: In the front portion is a central hall with a principal room on each side; a smaller rear portion has a small room on each side. A piazza extends across the rear, with narrow continuations at both ends of' the rear portion. 2. Stairway: This is located at the rear of the hall. The handrail is mahogany. 3. Interior finish and trim: Walls and ceilings are plaster. The principal rooms on the first floor have plaster cornices and ornamental plaster center pieces in the ceilings. Fire- places (closed up) have marble mantels. 4. Interior of bay windows: The central alcove has ornamental plaster on the upper two-thirds of each side--three blank arches formed by four palm trees with arching fronds. The THOMAS BENimTT HOUSE HABS No.

SC- 267 (Page 4) ceiling of the alcove is gabled; each side has six coffers in plaster ornament ad with sc;_uare rosettes and with acanthus le~-ives around the mouldings. The ':v:i.ndow trim is of wo0d, quite 1dde; corner blocks are ornamer:ted with three acs.r.thus leaves each. L.tart of the interior data is from :=. R. Martin, August, D. Site: 1. General setting and ori8ntatior1: The house faces east on a residentail street. 2. Outbuildings: A survey of cii:J shows two rectangular outbuildings behind the house, one along the north lot line and the other along the south lot line. At present there are only modern buildings. Prepared by Harley J. McKee Architect, N. P. S. July, ADDENDUM TO THOMAS BENNETT HOUSE HABS No.

89 Smith Street Charleston Charleston County HAB5 South Carolina 5C IO ... C\4AR. 7 PHOTOGRAPHS HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY National Park Service U.S. Department oflnterior C Street, NW Washington, I