Historic house in South Carolina, United States, William Aiken House and Associated Railroad Structures, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, "Governor William Aiken House, Robinson-Aiken House", "Aiken-Rhett House Museum | National Trust for Historic Preservation", "Governor William Aiken House, Charleston County (48 Elizabeth St., Charleston)", "Aiken-Rhett House | National Trust for Historic Preservation", "The Plantation Tradition in an Urban Setting: The Case of the Aiken-Rhett House in Charleston, South Carolina", "Paint Discoveries in the Aiken-Rhett House Kitchen and Slave Quarters", "New exhibit offers a peek into life in one of Charleston's enslaved work areas", "Archaeologists find Revolutionary War history at Aiken-Rhett House", "New Historic Foundation app offers self-guided tours of Charleston, house museums", Fly-through of Robinson-Aiken House (Double Parlor), Charleston, SC, Robinson-Aiken House, 48 Elizabeth Street, Charleston, Charleston County, SC, Robinson-Aiken House, Slave Building and Kitchens, Robinson-Aiken House, Service Building and Stable, History of the National Register of Historic Places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gov._William_Aiken_House&oldid=1140237715, Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina, Historic American Buildings Survey in South Carolina, National Register of Historic Places in Charleston, South Carolina, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 03:42. I really like that the designers of this tour didnt shy away from accurately portraying how hard life was for African American slaves at this time. In August 1619, "20. and odd Negroes" were captured - twice - and carried to the coast of Virginia. In the Loeblein Gallery of Charleston Silver discover the impressive work of the Souths finest craftsmen and women, from the colonial era through the Victorian Age. William Rhett, donated the house to the Charleston Museum in 1975. [2] Despite being known for its association McCarthy opponent Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said Thursday night the conservative opposition has zero trust in McCarthy and threatened he will have to live the entirety of his speakership in a straightjacket constructed by these rules that were working on now.. In 1856 and 1859, the issue of slavery was front and center. Your email address will not be published. So that's part of what made it really contentious. [12] [11] In a separate research and archeological survey in 2017, a team of archeologists were able to search for evidence of siege lines that British soldiers reportedly dug in the spring of 1780. Attractions include a nature train tour, petting zoo, nature trails, 18th-century herb garden, horticultural maze, and a nature boat tour. What Does It Mean, New Orleans Daily Crescent, 27, 1857, p. 5; Where They Invest, Freemans Champion, Aug. 13,1857, p. 2. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens was founded in 1676 by the Drayton family. Robinson-Aiken House, 48 (SC-275) ON RIGHT, AND ROBINSON-AIKEN SLAVE BUILDING AND KITCHENS (SC-276) ON LEFT. Newspaper reporters took note of an immediate rise that summer in the number of slaveholding sojourners to the Northwest, and they called attention to people who elected to stay permanently in Minnesota with their slaves. Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions: South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Summarize this article for a 10 years old, The Gov. This historic house museum served as the home of South Carolina's 61st governor William Aiken Jr. Now owned by the Historic Charleston Foundation, the Aiken-Rhett House has a Greek Revival style which was inspired by the Victorian era. The Jan. 6 insurrection shook our republic to the core. Researchers turned to census records to cast some light on their lives as individuals. William Aiken House, also known as the Aiken-Rhett House, or the Robinson-Aiken House, is a home built in 1820 at 48 Elizabeth Street in Charleston, South Carolina.It was a home of William Aiken, Jr., a governor of South Carolina, and before that was a home of his father, the railroad company owner William Aiken. He had a reputation among Charlestons slaves as a master who was not abusive, but he profited handsomely from their labor. habs sc,10-char,177-17.tif file:general view of rear courtyard, and outbuildings- robinson-aiken service building and stable (sc-275) on left, and robinson-aiken slave building and kitchens (sc-276) on right. It is now in the hands of the Historic Charleston Foundation. For more information on hosting an event at William Aiken House, contact our Sales Team. Transcribed by Tom Blake, concluding December, 2001. So many tours of historical properties sail right over it but this really didnt shy away from the subject matter and that is so important. A successful businessman, rice planter, distinguished politician and governor of South Carolina, William Aiken Jr. was one of the states wealthiest citizens. That year, Aiken was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served the Charleston congressional district from 1851 until 1857. Built in the 1820s, the house is all about authenticity and tropical vibes. Lucinda, a slave subjected to experimental surgery for an eye tumor. Located on King Street, the William Aiken House is where Allie tried on her wedding dress when she sees this photo. Construction of the sole building on campus cost more money than the universitys facilitators possessed, and the extended period of construction exacerbated the institutions debt. StudySC provides teachers with curated contentto support classroom activities. Hours:Open Daily 10 am - 5 pmLast tour begins at 4 pm, Aiken-Rhett House Admission:Adults (17+) $15Child (6-16) $7Children under 6 Free, Combo Admission for Aiken-Rhett House andNathaniel Russell HouseAdult combos $24Child 6-16 combos $12. At that time Minnesotans expressed their gratitude for Aikens support, but since the War Between the States pitted Minnesota against South Carolina, writers have omitted record of his contribution from their histories of the university. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Archaeology at the Aiken-Rhett House is providing insight into the lives of the enslaved at the property. Newsletter. In Becoming Americans, explore Charlestons important role in the American Revolution, from protest to independence. document.write('

'); Copyright 2009-2022 visit-historic-charleston.com, What: Free Admission Day at Fort MoultrieWhen: Mon. The grand, stately William Aiken House of Charleston, South Carolina, is an unofficial and extremely distant part of the campus of the University of Minnesota. On December 7, 1844, Aiken was elected governor by the General Assembly. After his fathers death, William Aiken, Jr. acquired the property. Willis M. West, The University of Minnesota, 98; John B. Gilfillan, An Historical Sketch of the University of Rlinnesota, 41, 169; Ex-Gov. Another removed a tumor from an unnamed young girl's lymph node, which likely made it swell grotesquely around her head. Aiken died a few years later, and the house was left to his The entrance facade was originally designated on that which is now the south (right side) facade. The party composition of the House was also fractured as the United States was morphing into the modern two-party system; Congress consisted of the Democrats and a coalition of opposing parties, including the emerging Republican Party and the nativist Know Nothing, or American Party. Cloud Slate University. Transcribed by Tom Blake, concluding December, 2001. Born in 1779 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, he immigrated to Charleston, South Carolina at age 10. Audio was great once WE figured it out. WebWilliam Aiken, Governor, S.C. between c.1860 - c.1865. "[13] The foundation later updated the app to cover more of the Charleston area historic house museums, such as the Nathaniel Russel House and the Magnolia Cemetery. "The physicians and colleges saw an opportunity in the institution of slavery to elevate themselves, and they took it," historian Stephen Kenny of the University of Liverpool in the U.K., who wrote the report, told BuzzFeed News. B. Johnson, Dictionary of the University of Minnesota, 13; Willis M. West, The University of Minnesota, 96; John B. Gilfillan, An Historical Sketch of the University of Minnesota (State Historical Society of Minnesota, 1905), 21-22; James L. Huston, The Panic of 1857and the Comingof the Civil War (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University, 1987), 262; Charles W. Calominis and Larry Schwei- kart, The Panic of 1857: Origins, Transmission, and Containment)Journal of Economic History 5, No. The omission of Aiken removes not only a central donor from the schools history but also the crucial role of slave labor in the facilitys survival. Aiken was again elected to the Congress. Aiken received his early education from private schools in Charleston and was graduated from South Carolina College in 1825. Dred Scott (1795-1858). SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS. The price of slaves increased precipitously in 1807, after the halt of the British slave trade. According the Historic Charleston Foundation, what attracted them to purchasing the property was its "unique opportunity to understand and present antebellum urban life and the African American heritage of Charleston to the public."[8]. Love the fact that the Aiken Rhett house and grounds preserved. A writer for the newspaper expressed hope that such purchases between the North and the South would decrease feelings of sectionalism or dissolution excitement, as the periodical put it.8, Meanwhile, Aikens investment proved a short-term solution to the universitys problems, for it gave the university only a brief respite from dormancy. William Aiken House? Please pay it forward. Aiken received his early education from private schools in Charleston and was graduated from South Carolina College in 1825. This home will always hold a special place in my heart , Your email address will not be published. If unfree African Americans had not generated the planters wealth, he would not have possessed the funds to assist the institution. The house was used to hold meetings for the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company where Aiken was elected president in 1827. Design: Although the names of the household enslaved were known, little was known about them as individuals nor the positions they held in the household. William Aiken Jr. renovated and expanded the house in the 1850s. An attractive feature to the Aiken House is its urban development. WebAIKEN, William, (cousin of David Wyatt Aiken), a Representative from South Carolina; born in Charleston, S.C., January 28, 1806; attended private schools; was graduated from the College of South Carolina (now the University of South Carolina) at Columbia in 1825; engaged in agricultural pursuits; member of the State house of representatives 1838 [10] Ten years in 1860, the number of enslaved people at the urban residence jumped to 19 individuals. Barbary Aiken [found by SCSU student Kali Preisinger] Clara Aiken [found by SCSU student Jarisa Hall] Diana Aiken [found by SCSU student Kali Preisinger] William Ross Aiken was born February 19, 1919, in Maui, Hawaii. Its the fourth day of the embattled effort to elect a Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has failed thirteen straight votes to capture the speakership, making this race for the fifth-longest speaker election in history (so far). One such measure would allow a single lawmaker to begin the process for ousting the speaker, which could put McCarthy under constant threat by far-right House members. Mrs. Frances Dill Rhett, whose husband was a direct descendant of Gov. 7. Born in Charleston on January 28, 1806, Aiken was the son of William Aiken, a prominent Charleston merchant and planter, and Henrietta Wyatt. WebAmerica's First African Slaves Came to South Carolina. After 133 ballots, Aiken lost to Nathaniel Banks of Massachusetts by a vote of 103 to 100. On December 7, 1844, Aiken was elected governor by the General Assembly. The Historic Charleston Foundation purchased the House in 1995. In the back of the house, the slave quarters, kitchen and yard remain as they were when the original occupants lived in the house. Although opposed to both nullification and secession, Aiken gave financial support to the Confederacy during the Civil War. Some investors, such as Harwood Iglehart of Maryland, chose instead to live permanently in Minnesota while retaining ownership of their slaves in their home states, though these were few and far between.2. The General Assembly proved unwilling to support the ambitious plan during Aikens tenure, but approved a similar plan a year after Aiken left office. "Physicians needed to learn anatomy and slaves provided a supply of bodies," he said. These cases were reported in respected medical periodicals read from Europe to the Western frontier. William Aiken, Jr., died on September 6, 1887, in Flat Rock, North Carolina, and was buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston. StudySC is a service of the South Carolina State Library and is funded in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Wealthy southerners with political connections invested in large portions of land in Minnesota. But the new report, published in the latest issue of the journal Endeavour, suggests that a widespread network of medical colleges and doctors across the American South carried out and published slave experiments for decades. As a Unionist, Aiken opposed the radical views which called for secession if Texas was not annexed to the United States as a slave state. Were delighted to learn that you enjoyed your time with us! The Aiken family owned the house for over 142 years until, in 1975, it was donated to the Charleston Museum. Aiken was president of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company and was a member of the state House of Representatives from 1824 until his death in 1831. Note about Summer Hours - On days with extreme heat, the Aiken-Rhett House Museum may close early. Aiken Dead, Paul Daily Globe, Sept. 8, 1887, p. 4; St. Paul Western Appeal, Sept. 17, 1887, p. 2; Mower County Transcript, Sept. 14, 1887, p. 6. Aiken loaned $15,000 to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in 1856. Rhett, raised their four sons and one daughter in the house. He advanced between $ 15,000 and $20,000 of his own money to the institution, and he purchased $8,000 in university bonds. That's unlike the present because the current wrangle isn't really about a policy issue at all. Check rates now! "It was commonplace.". Builders added a fourth floor to the lone campus building in late 1857, and a local newspaper grandly predicted: This edifice will be one of the most magnificent granite structures in the whole north west. The school reopened in 1858. See also Steven James Keillor, Grand Excursion: Antebellum America Discovers the Upper Mississippi (Alton, MN: Afton Historical Society, 2004), for detailed information on the importance of the steamboat to the Northwest. Black and white photograph of the west (front) elevation of the carriage house at the William Aiken House located at 456 King Street. 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