10 Charleston Historic Homes You Should Visit
The historic homes that line Charleston’s iconic cobblestone streets attract visitors from around the world. Luckily, you’ll find these stately structures in nearly every neighborhood in Downtown.
There are plenty of ways to learn about the history of these homes — by taking a walking tour, booking tickets at a local museum, or even staying the night in one.
Here are 10 historic homes in Charleston that should make it onto your must-see list.
Ways to Visit Charleston’s Historic Homes
If there is a particular historic home in Charleston on your wish list to visit, you’ll most certainly be able to enjoy it from the exterior. Yet, many of these historic homes are open for tours — and a handful even invite you to stay for the night!
Here are a few ways to visit Charleston’s historic homes (as well as a few tips to make your visit more enjoyable).
Visit a Museum
Several historic homes in Charleston are now owned by museums, most notably the Charleston Museum.
One of the best ways to visit these homes is to book a guided tour or a self-guided tour. You can find all the information on how to do so in the sections below.
Visiting homes owned by museums can help you gain a greater understanding of how these structures were built and how they were used. You’ll also hear stories of the families who lived in them.
View From the Street
Some of Charleston’s historic homes are now private residences. If you plan on visiting any of these, remember that people live in these buildings and that they’re not tourist sites.
You should view them from a respectful distance on the street, keep your voices to a reasonable volume, and avoid approaching any of the residents (unless they approach you first).
Of course, you can always make contact in a Lowcountry manner — with a smile and a wave.
Stay in a Historic Inn
If you truly want to immerse yourself in history, you can book a room at several historic hotels in Charleston, including the John Rutledge House, the Wentworth Mansion, the Barksdale House Inn, or the Elliott House Inn.
These homes have been painstakingly restored and modernized, offering all the amenities you’d expect at a luxury Lowcountry hotel. Yet, they still maintain their historic charm, and some even offer tours and events, where you can learn about their history.
Take a Tour
Our public walking tours, including our Charleston History Tour and our Alleys and Hidden Passages Tour, pass by many of these homes.
If you want to learn about the historical importance of these historic homes and listen to some of the stories of the owners, builders, and enslaved workers who lived here, we recommend signing up for one of these public tours.
Yet, if you want a more in-depth understanding of the architectural styles of these homes, you can always book a private tour.
10 Historic Homes in Charleston You Should Visit
Here are the 10 historic homes in Charleston that you absolutely must pay a visit to. Most of these homes can be viewed from the street — but some offer tours and a few even allow you to stay a night (or more).
This list of homes includes some of Charleston’s most popular hotels and inns, as well as museums and private residences.
1. Williams Mansion
One of the most impressive historic homes in Charleston, the Williams Mansion, is open to the public. Visitors can tour the 24,000 square-foot structure on a 45-minute guided tour. (Note: tours are currently suspended but will resume by appointment only.)
Built by George Walton Williams in 1878, this Italianate Revival home should be on any architecture buff’s must-see list in Charleston. Considered Charleston’s Gilded Age mansion, the Williams Mansion features five flights of art, architecture, tapestries, and furnishings.
2. Aiken-Rhett House
Another iconic Charleston historic home, the Aiken-Rhett House, is a well-preserved Greek Revival structure with Victorian additions.
Originally built in 1820 by Governor William Aiken Jr., the home is one of the few in Charleston that has been preserved in its original form.
Visitors can take a self-guided tour daily, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
3. Nathaniel Russell House
Nathaniel Russell, a Charlestonian merchant, moved into the house that stands at 51 Meeting Street in 1808. (Though he is remembered more for the house than for his professional accomplishments.)
The Federal-style home is well preserved and considered an important example of Neoclassical architecture. Visitors can learn about slave life in Charlestonian homes here while admiring architectural elements, such as the flying staircase, Adam-style ornamentation, and Palladian windows.
The house is open to visitors six days a week, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Mondays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
4. Heyward-Washington House
The Heyward-Washington House is a Georgian-style home that was built in 1772. It was named after one of the original owners, Thomas Heyward Jr., who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Other notable inhabitants and visitors include George Washington and abolitionists and suffragettes Sarah and Angeline Grimké.
The house is now owned by the Charleston Museum and is open to visitors six days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
5. John Rutledge House
If you want to stay in a historic home, you’ll want to consider booking a room at the John Rutledge House Inn.
Located on Broad Street and Orange Street, this home is characterized by gabled roofs, stuccoed walls, and a wrought-iron balcony. Built in 1763 for John Rutledge, a Charlestonian lawyer, it was designed in the Colonial Georgian style with Italianate and Greek Revival additions in the 20th Century.
Rooms start at $290 to $350 a night during the off-season and can go up to over $500 a night during peak seasons.
6. Wentworth Mansion
Possibly one of the most famous historic Charleston inns is the Wentworth Mansion.
Built in 1886 for cotton merchant Francis Silas Rodgers, it was converted into the headquarters for the Masonic organization, the Scottish Rite Cathedral Association of Charleston, in 1920.
In 1998, the structure was converted into a luxury hotel, named after the hotel’s location on Wentworth Street.
Rooms start at $400 to $600 a night.
7. Barksdale House Inn
Another Charleston historic home that you can stay in is the Barksdale House on King Street. This is an ideal spot to stay if you’re planning on attending Second Sunday on King Street or if you want to stay in a centrally-situated neighborhood.
The Barksdale House is a great example of Regency-style architecture and is thought to have been completed between 1778 and 1817.
Originally owned by George Barksdale, a Charlestonian planter and member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, the house was built by Thomas Barkdale, George’s nephew.
The home changed hands over the years (some say that the ground floor once housed the original Charles Town post office) and was transformed into a hotel in 1986.
Rooms start at $172 to $372 a night.
8. Elliott House Inn
The Elliott House Inn, located on Queen Street, was built in 1861. This Charleston historic home is a great example of classic Charleston Single House architecture.
Architectural features include piazzas, a courtyard, and original hardwood floors.
The inn opened in 1981 and was refurbished between 2009 and 2011. Guests can still appreciate many of the original architectural details, including the exposed brick walls, the wisteria-filled courtyard, and an outdoor fireplace.
Rooms start at around $140 a night and go up to over $300 a night during peak seasons.
9. 86 Cannon
The ninth house on our list is 86 Cannon, a home that once belonged to Captain Christian Baker Sigwald. Built in 1862, this historic house is a good example of Neoclassical-style architecture.
But the architecture itself isn’t the sole reason the home is historically important to Charlestonians. Other notable residents include Septima P. Clark, who earned the moniker “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” and Kevin Frazier, host of the television show “Entertainment Tonight.”
One of Clark’s closest friends was Rosa Parks, who often visited the home.
10. Joseph Manigault House
The final Charleston historic home on our list is the Joseph Manigault House, a three-story structure that was built in 1803 and received landmark status in 1973. It is a good example of Adam-style architecture, which is an offshoot of Neoclassical style.
The home was built by Gabriel Manigault, the brother of the original owner.
Though this home is not an inn or a hotel, it can be toured seven days a week. Visit between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, or noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.