Aiken-Rhett House

Historic Charleston Foundation House Museum

The Aiken-Rhett house was built in 1820 by a sea merchant named John Robinson and is one of the best-preserved townhouse complexes in the country. While many historic properties in Charleston have been restored to their former glory, the Aiken-Rhett house has been preserved, left virtually untouched, since the 1850s! This palatial residence showcases city life in antebellum Charleston.

The house was first built as a Charleston double house, meaning it had a center hall and 2 rooms on each side. John Robinson lost 5 ships at sea in 1825 which ruined him financially. He was forced to sell the house and property to William Aiken Sr. in 1827. Aiken was an Irish immigrant who gained his large fortune as one of Charleston’s leading merchants. He used the property as a rental property until he died suddenly in a carriage accident in 1831. The house and his assets were divided between his wife Henrietta and his only son, William Aiken, Jr.

William Aiken Jr. was a successful rice planter who would later become a prominent statesman and governor of South Carolina. He and his new wife, Harriet Lowndes, decided to use the home as their permanent residence, and in 1833, began a massive renovation. They created one of the most impressive residences, an Urban Plantation, in Charleston.  

They moved the main entrance to the side of the house and constructed a new curved double staircase to get to the main level of the house.

A three-story addition was constructed that added a dining room to the first floor.

The original staircase became the back stairwell once the new three-story staircase was built. Slaves used this back staircase to access the main house from the lower level of the home.

The lowest level of the Aiken-Rhett opened to a walled-in work yard. The work yard is said to be one of the nation’s most complete examples of urban life for the enslaved.

On either side of the work yard is a two-story outbuilding. One served as the kitchen and laundry, the other is the carriage house that stored carriages and also livestock. Both of these outbuildings have slave quarters above them.

The slave quarters have been untouched since the mid 19th century. They have original paint, floors, and fixtures. You can see the very worn down stair treads in the stairwell.

The back of the courtyard is flanked by 2 privies.

In 1858 while traveling abroad, Governor Aiken commissioned his cousin to design and build an art gallery. It is the only one of its kind in the city of Charleston. You can still find some of the art and treasures the Aikens acquired in the art gallery today.

William Aiken Jr died in 1887. He left the house to his wife and daughter. His wife Harriet lived in the home until her death in 1892. Her daughter Henrietta married Major A.B. Rhett, and they raised 5 children in the home. Their 2 sons, I’on and Andrew continued to live in the house until the mid-1900s. 

The house spent 142 years in the Aiken family's hands before being sold to the Charleston Museum and opened as a museum house in 1975.

Would you like to see the explore the Aiken-Rhett House and catch a glimpse of life in an urban plantation? The house is part of the Charleston Historic Foundation and is located at 48 Elizabeth Street. It is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, with the last tour starting at 4:00. Call me and we can explore Charleston's history together!

Aimee Martik
Real Estate/Leasing/Property Management
Aimee.Martik@AgentOwnedRealty.com
(724)344-9813