The Joseph Manigault House is a
historic house museum
A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a ...
in
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...
that is owned and operated by the
Charleston Museum
The Charleston Museum is a museum located in the Wraggborough neighborhood in Charleston, South Carolina. It is one of the oldest museums in the United States. Its highly regarded collection includes historic artifacts, natural history, decora ...
. Built in 1803, it was designed by
Gabriel Manigault
Gabriel Manigault (March 17, 1758 – November 4, 1809) was an American architect.
Early life
Manigault was born in Charleston, South Carolina on March 17, 1758. He was the son of Elizabeth Wragg Manigault (1736–1773) and Peter Manigault (1 ...
to be the home of his brother, and is nationally significant as a well-executed and preserved example of
Adam style
The Adam style (or Adamesque and "Style of the Brothers Adam") is an 18th-century neoclassical style of interior design and architecture, as practised by Scottish architect William Adam and his sons, of whom Robert (1728–1792) and James (17 ...
architecture. It was declared a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1973.
[ and ]
Description and history
The Manigault House is located near the center of the Charleston peninsula, at the corner of Meeting and John Streets. It is a three-story brick structure, set on a raised brick foundation. The main facade has a two-story porch across the center three bays, with elaborate doorways on both floors featuring slender pilasters and sidelight windows. A semicircular stairwell projects from one sidewall, and a bowed porch from the other, giving the house the rough shape of a parallelogram. The interior features delicately refined woodwork in its fireplace mantels, door and window moulding, and cornices, reflective of the style promoted by
Robert Adam
Robert Adam (3 July 17283 March 1792) was a British neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam (1689–1748), Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him. With his o ...
, which differentiated the scale of these elements in domestic and civic architecture.
The gatehouse standing near the property entrance is an
architectural folly.
The house was built in 1803 for Joseph Manigault to a design by his brother Gabriel.
Gabriel Manigault
Gabriel Manigault (March 17, 1758 – November 4, 1809) was an American architect.
Early life
Manigault was born in Charleston, South Carolina on March 17, 1758. He was the son of Elizabeth Wragg Manigault (1736–1773) and Peter Manigault (1 ...
had studied architecture in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
before the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, and was familiar with Robert Adam's design principles. This was the first major work of his to exhibit these principles, and was also one of the first houses in Charleston that was not obviously based on the standard "single house" and double house" models then commonly used. The house also includes a number of construction elements designed to minimize problems with pests.
Manigault's
executor
An executor is someone who is responsible for executing, or following through on, an assigned task or duty. The feminine form, executrix, may sometimes be used.
Overview
An executor is a legal term referring to a person named by the maker of a ...
sold the house in 1852 to George N. Reynolds, Jr., before it was passed onto John S. Riggs in 1864.
In 1920, the house was threatened with demolition to make way for a gas station. In response, a group of Charlestonians organized a preservation group which would become the
Preservation Society of Charleston Founded in 1920, the Preservation Society of Charleston is the oldest community-based historic preservation organization in the United States. Susan Pringle Frost founded the organization, first known as the Society for the Preservation of Old Dwell ...
.
See also
*
List of National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina
This is a List of National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina, United States. The United States' National Historic Landmark (NHL) program is operated under the auspices of the National Park Service, and recognizes buildings, sites, structures, d ...
*
References
External links
Joseph Manigault House, at The Charleston Museum at South Carolina Department of Archives and History
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manigault, Joseph, House
National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
Houses completed in 1790
Museums in Charleston, South Carolina
Historic house museums in South Carolina
National Register of Historic Places in Charleston, South Carolina
Houses in Charleston, South Carolina
Historic district contributing properties in South Carolina