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The Robert Mills House, also known as Robert Mills Historic House and Park or the Ainsley Hall House, is a
The Robert Mills House is located in a parklike parcel that occupies an entire city block in central Columbia. It is a two-story masonry structure, built out of brick set on a high basement with arcaded walls. Its main facade faces north, with a Classical projecting portico that has four Ionic columns supporting a gabled pediment. The main entrance is topped by a fanlight window, and the windows in the flanking bays are set in round-arch openings, a Mills design hallmark. The building's entrance hall is symmetrical, with the stairwell concealed behind a doorway that is matched by a false doorway on the opposite wall. The hall has curved ends, as do the matching parlors, providing an illusion of increased space.
The house was designed by Mills and built in 1823 for Ainsley Hall, who died before it was finished. It was for many years part of the campus of the Columbia Theological Seminary, which moved out of Columbia in 1960. With the property threatened with development, it was acquired by Historic Columbia and restored, opening as a museum in 1967.
Robert Mills House - Historic Columbia
- official site
at South Carolina Department of Archives and History * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Robert, House Historic American Buildings Survey in South Carolina National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina Museums in Columbia, South Carolina Historic house museums in South Carolina Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina Houses completed in 1823 Robert Mills buildings National Register of Historic Places in Columbia, South Carolina Houses in Columbia, South Carolina Historic district contributing properties in South Carolina
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 ...
at 1616 Blanding Street in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...
. Built in 1823 to a design by Robert Mills, it was designated 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 for its architectural significance. The Historic Columbia Foundation owns and operates the home, which has been furnished with decorative arts of the early 19th century, including American Federal, English Regency, and French Empire pieces.
Description and history
The Robert Mills House is located in a parklike parcel that occupies an entire city block in central Columbia. It is a two-story masonry structure, built out of brick set on a high basement with arcaded walls. Its main facade faces north, with a Classical projecting portico that has four Ionic columns supporting a gabled pediment. The main entrance is topped by a fanlight window, and the windows in the flanking bays are set in round-arch openings, a Mills design hallmark. The building's entrance hall is symmetrical, with the stairwell concealed behind a doorway that is matched by a false doorway on the opposite wall. The hall has curved ends, as do the matching parlors, providing an illusion of increased space.
The house was designed by Mills and built in 1823 for Ainsley Hall, who died before it was finished. It was for many years part of the campus of the Columbia Theological Seminary, which moved out of Columbia in 1960. With the property threatened with development, it was acquired by Historic Columbia and restored, opening as a museum in 1967.
See also
* List of National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina *National Register of Historic Places listings in Columbia, South Carolina
__NOTOC__
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Columbia, South Carolina.
This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Columbia, South Car ...
References
External links
Robert Mills House - Historic Columbia
- official site
at South Carolina Department of Archives and History * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Robert, House Historic American Buildings Survey in South Carolina National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina Museums in Columbia, South Carolina Historic house museums in South Carolina Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina Houses completed in 1823 Robert Mills buildings National Register of Historic Places in Columbia, South Carolina Houses in Columbia, South Carolina Historic district contributing properties in South Carolina